Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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136. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will ensure the provision of broadband to Brookdale, Riverstick, County Cork. [2423/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I am advised by NBI that, as of 6 January 2023, over 117,900 premises can order or pre-order a high-speed broadband connection across 26 counties, with over 109,200 premises passed and available for immediate connection. Construction is underway across 26 counties demonstrating that the project is reaching scale. The level of connections is increasing on a daily basis and is exceeding projections.

There are 81,507 premises in County Cork that will be passed by National Broadband Ireland with high-speed gigabit fibre broadband as part of the State Intervention under the National Broadband Plan. To date in Cork over 15,721 premises are passed by the NBP highspeed fibre broadband network and available for immediate connection.

Strategic Connection Points (SCPs) are a key element of the NBP providing high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network. As of 6 January, 844 SCP sites (281 Broadband Connection Points, which are publicly accessible sites, and 563 schools) have been installed and the high-speed broadband service will be switched on in these locations through service provider contracts managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development for BCPs and the Department of Education for school SCP’s. In County Cork 24 BCPs have been installed to date.

In County Cork 85 schools BCPs have been installed by NBI to date for educational access. My Department continues to work with the Department of Education to prioritise schools with no high-speed broadband, within the Intervention Area. Further details are available on the NBI website at: nbi.ie/primary-schools-list/.

Brookdale Estate is located in the Deployment Area (DA) of Kinsale which is currently pending completion of survey work and is anticipated for connection between January and December 2026. There is a Broadband Connection Point located adjacent to the estate in the Riverstick Community Centre offering high speed access in advance of the fibre to the home build.