Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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215. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of premises that remain unconnected under the National Broadband Ireland rollout plan; the estimated timeline for full completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7985/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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In December 2022, the Digital Connectivity Strategy for Ireland was published and sets out a number of targets including that all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028. This target is on track and will be met through a combination of commercial investment and State funding.

The Programme for Government – Securing Ireland’s Future published in January 2025 sets a number of targets which include the completion of the installation of high-speed fibre broadband to 1.1 million people, including homes, farms, and businesses nationwide, by 2026.

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

There are 564,000 premises in the Intervention Area (IA). Design work has been completed by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) at 556,945 of all premises (99%) in the IA.

There are 115,495 of those premises (34%) in the IA connected.

351,362 premises (62%) in the IA can order or pre-order broadband from NBI across all counties in mainly rural areas. NBI have also passed 337,440 premises (60%) in the IA.

NBI are connecting around 4,000 premises to their fibre network per month. NBI expect to have passed over 420,000 premises by end of 2025.

NBI have also signed contracts with 73 Retail Service Providers (RSP’s) with 69 of these having completed NBI’s onboarding process and selling services as connections become available.