Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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96. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the progress made to date with the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan; if it is intended to expedite the roll-out to complete it sooner than the published date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27496/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy, published by my Department, sets ambitious targets, which include providing a Gigabit network to all households and businesses in Ireland by 2028 and access to 5G in all populated areas by 2030.

National Broadband Ireland (NBI) is currently rolling out a high speed and future-proofed broadband network. The intervention area covers over 1.1 million people living and working in over 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 672 schools.

NBI are passing some 8,000 to 10,000 premises each month and connecting circa 4,000 homes each month. NBI expect to have passed in excess of 300,000 premises by the end of 2024.

I am advised by NBI that over 261,500 premises are passed across 26 counties and available for immediate connection. Over 85,00 premises are already connected to the National Broadband Plan’s high-speed broadband network.

The timeline for the completion of the roll-out of the high-speed broadband network by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) is 2027. NBI are confident that they will deliver the full programme within the originally scheduled seven-year timeline, while my Department continues to to explore opportunities with NBI to further expediate the programme.

Along with the NBP intervention contract, progress is being made by commercial operators in expanding their next generation networks throughout the State and ensuring the targets set out in the Digital Connectivity strategy are achieved.