Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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115. To ask the Minister for Culture, Culture, Communications and Sport if two deployment areas under NBI will be ready to connect in 2026 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44568/26]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the Government initiative to deliver high-speed broadband to all premises in Ireland. In addition, Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy published in December 2022, sets out a number of targets including that all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028.

In the Deputy’s own county of Cork, a significant investment of €314 million is being made under the NBP. There are 62,575 premises passed with a high-speed fibre broadband network and 72,435 premises available to order/pre-order, with over 21,430 premises now connected. A further circa 20,425 premises in County Cork will be passed by NBI’s high speed fibre broadband by the end of the network deployment.

The National Broadband Ireland rollout will include Ballingeary (963 premises) and Carriganimmy (3,974 premises) Deployment Areas. Network build is in progress for both Deployment Areas and will be made available to order/passed in the period October 2026 to December 2026.

Further details are available on specific areas within County Cork and can be monitored via the National Broadband Ireland website. This website is regularly updated providing the expected timeline for delivery and status of any works that are initiated at any point in time. National Broadband Ireland also has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie, which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries.

Along with the NBP intervention plan, progress is being made by commercial operators in expanding their next generation networks throughout the country including the deputy’s own county of Cork ensuring the targets set out in the Digital Connectivity Strategy are achieved. These plans will see improved high speed broadband access across County Cork.

Based on current plans and achievements, the NBP is expected to come in on time and under budget with the main infrastructure build on schedule to be complete by end of 2026.