Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 June 2023
168. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the degree to which the programme to provide broadband nationwide is progressing and achieving its targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29039/23]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) state led intervention aims to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the intervention area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in over 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools.
I am advised by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) that, as of 02 June 2023 over 162,254 premises can order or pre-order a high-speed broadband connection across 26 counties, with over 147,159 premises passed across 26 counties and available for immediate connection.
The NBP network build is scheduled to be completed by 2027.
Strategic Connection Points (SCPs) are a key element of the NBP providing high-speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network. As of 02 June 2023, 926 SCP sites (283 Broadband Connection Points, which are publicly accessible sites, and 643 schools) have been installed and the high-speed broadband service will be switched on in these locations through service provider contracts managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development for publicly accessible sites and the Department of Education for school BCPs. Further details can be found at nbi.ie/bcp-map/.
My Department continues to work with the Department of Education to prioritise schools with no high-speed broadband, within the Intervention Area. Further details of schools in scope are available on the NBI website at nbi.ie/primary-schools-list/.
In December 2022 my Department published Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy which supports the ambition outlined in the National Digital Strategy and sets out a number of ambitious targets namely:
* all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028;
* all populated areas will be covered by 5G no later than 2030.
Commercial investment continues to be strong over the last few years with a number of providers rolling out gigabit services. Eir is rolling out fibre to the home to some 1.9 million premises. SIRO has passed more than 490,000 premises with gigabit services and has recently announced plans to extend its network to an additional 280,000 premises. Virgin Media plans to bring gigabit broadband upgrades to over 1 million premises.
Of the 2.4 million premises across Ireland, 83% of premises now have access to high-speed broadband leaving Ireland well placed to achieve our Digital Connectivity targets by 2028.
The majority of digital connectivity across the State will be delivered through commercial investment by the telecommunications industry and this will be complemented by the National Broadband Plan.
