Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

137. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will report on the roll-out of National Broadband Plan connections and service in local schools in counties Laois and Offaly; the way that the figures compare to other counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61794/22]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The National Broadband Plan (NBP) state led intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the intervention area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in over 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools.

Government and NBI have agreed to accelerate the rollout of high-speed broadband to 679 schools across the State. This will ensure that by the middle of next year all schools across the State will have the necessary infrastructure to carry out their critical day to day educational activities unimpeded by poor broadband.

As of 2 December 2022, 514 schools have been installed by NBI, and 29 have been installed by other operators, as agreed with the Department of Education. In County Laois 9 schools have been installed to date for educational access, with 13 installed in County Offaly. Further details of schools in scope are available on the NBI website at nbi.ie/primary-schools-list/.