Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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50. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department has assessed the potential of the high-speed broadband network to create potential for rural development; and the number of projects emerging for support from her Department's programmes which utilise its potential. [62743/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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One of the key focuses of Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021 - 2025 is optimising digital connectivity to support vibrant, sustainable rural communities.

As stated in Our Rural Future, there is an overall ambition for government to transform digital connectivity for rural communities and enterprises. I want to close the digital divide between rural and urban communities and ensure that those living in rural communities are provided with the same opportunities for remote working, online trading and for education as those in larger urban areas. I am working to achieve this ambition by providing significant funding and support through my department.

My department runs a number of schemes, projects and funding programmes to support rural digital development. These programmes are designed to impact communities across the country, from the most rural areas and offshore islands, to villages and regional towns.

Over recent years, my department has allocated €150 million in funding to rural communities around the country to support the use of digital connectivity. This funding has been provided through the Connected Hubs Fund, Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and, most recently, the Community Centre Investment Fund. These programmes have been designed to ensure that infrastructure and services are made available to meet the changing needs of our rural communities. These schemes also support job creation and enable people to stay or return to their communities which may not have been possible previously.

I note that, as of 2nd December 2022, 101,738 premises across 25 counties are able to avail of a high-speed broadband connection from National Broadband Ireland. In addition, I understand that Eir are in the process of extending their fibre services to 1.9m premises, that Siro has passed 450,000 premises with fibre services with another 320,000 premises planned, and that Virgin Media plan to bring gigabit broadband to 1m premises.

I am determined to see these achievements built on.

Through the Broadband Connection Points (BCP) Initiative my department will establish 300 digitally-enabled community hubs. These hubs are based in community centres, GAA clubs and tourist sites across the country and are centres of community life. These BCPs will each have different offerings, some with a focus on remote work while others focused on education programmes and digital skills training. There are currently 290 BCPs live and in use.

Through the National Hub Network initiative, and its online platform connectedhubs.ie, my department and our partners at the Western Development Commission will build a nationwide network of 400 remote and co-working hubs. Today there are 298 hubs in the Network and more than 10,000 registered customers. We will grow these numbers and in doing so, support more people to remotely and reduce their commuting times.

Between 2018 and 2021, my department provided €2m under the Digital Innovation Program to trial innovative technologies across rural Ireland. These projects established the viability and efficacy of a number of technologies, not least in the areas of rural tourism and public safety.

On December 9th 2022 the government published its ambitious Digital Connectivity Strategy. Among the ambitious targets set out in that Strategy is a commitment to have all Irish households and businesses covered by a Gigabit network by 2028, one of the most ambitious targets in the EU. My department will continue to work across local and national government, with communities and other stakeholders to ensure rural Ireland is well-placed to take full advantage of this enhanced connectivity.