Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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144. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which deficiencies in the availability of adequate broadband facilities continue to be identified in all areas throughout County Kildare; the remedial action in hand to address this issue, given the importance of access to high-speed broadband for commercial and educational purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41656/24]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, 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.

The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland.

I am advised by NBI that over 300,180 premises are passed across 26 counties and available for immediate connection. Over 99,583 premises are already connected to the National Broadband Plan’s high-speed broadband network. As of end of December 2023, NBI reports that the necessary infrastructure was installed in all 672 primary schools in the Intervention Area, to ensure their critical day to day educational activities are unimpeded by poor broadband.

In the Deputy’s own county of Kildare over 11,432 premises are passed with a high-speed fibre broadband network which represents 76% of the premises within the Intervention area. At the end of September 2024, 3,637 premises are now connected in Kildare which represents a take up rate of 32%.

Further details are available on specific areas within County Kildare and can be monitored via nbi.ie/reps.

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.

My Department is aware of some evidence emerging, based on conversations with ComReg and commercial operators, that a portion of premises that do not form part of the intervention area may prove not to be commercially viable in terms of being connected to a gigabit network by 2028. The Department are currently investigating reasons for why such instances may arise with a view to identifying solutions. However, it is important to note that significant commercial roll-out programmes by Eir, SIRO and Virgin Media Ireland are on-going, and the scale of this potential problem can only be established upon completion of those commercial roll-out programmes.

While commercial rollouts are ongoing, the Department will continue to investigate this issue with relevant stakeholders such as ComReg and commercial operators and would note that it is considering options around potential pilot schemes aimed at informing potential future solutions in order the 2028 gigabit connectivity commitments are achieved.