Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1274. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of rural broadband connection points still awaiting activation; and to provide a timeline for full delivery, including in island and Gaeltacht areas. [23389/25]

Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1281. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will publish the latest assessment of rural digital connectivity under the connected hubs network; and detail measures to expand the network into poorer rural regions. [23396/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1274 and 1281 together.

A key focus of Our Rural Future - the Government's Rural Development Policy 2021 to 2025 - is to optimise digital connectivity to support vibrant, sustainable rural communities, ensuring equality of access to digital services.

A key commitment in the policy was the establishment of a network of 400 remote working hubs across the country over the lifetime of the policy. Connectedhubs.ie was launched in mid 2021, and there are now 381 hubs live on the network.

In December 2022, Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy was published which sets out a number of targets including that all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028. Furthermore, the Programme for Government – Securing Ireland’s Future, published in January 2025, has committed to 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. Under the NBP contract, National Broadband Ireland (NBI) will roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the State Intervention Area to over 564,000 premises. Design work has been completed at almost all of these premises and, as of 25 April 2025, 374,768 premises (66%), across all counties in mainly rural areas, can now order or pre-order broadband and over 124,600 premises (35%) are already connected. NBI expects to have passed over 420,000 premises by the end of 2025.

The roll out of 300 Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) nationwide has been completed including those in Gaeltacht areas. Of the total of 300 BCPs,11 are installed on our off-shore islands. BCPs provide high-speed broadband connectivity and are located at public areas such as community halls, libraries, sports facilities, enterprise hubs, tourist locations and other public spaces as part of the National Broadband Plan.

A new National Hubs Strategy, to be published this year will present a coherent and whole-of-government approach to the future development of hubs. The strategy will include measures to underpin the sustainable development of the network of hubs, including BCPs, with a view to enabling rural regeneration, contributing to balanced regional economic development, supporting working in hubs and providing access to digital services in rural communities

I also co-chair the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce which was re-established in late 2021 to identify and implement actions to overcome barriers to the deployment of fixed and mobile telecommunications services in the State, with particular regard to rural, isolated and under-served communities. The work of the Taskforce has contributed to improved communications and connectivity across Ireland in all communities. The current iteration of this Taskforce will conclude at the end of June and a new Work Programme will begin shortly thereafter where I will be raising issues of coverage and resilience of mobile and broadband networks.

I am committed to ensuring that these initiatives in my Department will continue to make a central contribution to the achievement of the Government's vision for rural digital connectivity, as set out in Our Rural Future.