Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 June 2024
87. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for the Environment; Climate and Communications to provide an update on his Department’s plans for the upgrading of broadband services and infrastructure in rural areas of east Cork. [25931/24]
View answerIreland'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.
National Broadband Ireland (NBI) are connecting circa 4,000 homes each month. NBI expect to have passed in excess of 300,000 premises by the end of 2024.
I am advised by NBI that, over 254,900 premises are passed across 26 counties and available for immediate connection. Over 84,300 premises are already connected to the National Broadband Plan high-speed broadband network. In the Deputy’s own county of Cork over 26,000 premises are passed with a high-speed fibre broadband network and available for immediate connection with 9,464 premises now connected.
Further details are available on specific areas within County Cork and can be monitored via nbi.ie/reps.
With regards to east Cork, premises within the Deployment Areas of Youghal, Tallow, Midleton, Carrigaline and Templemartin can now Order/Pre-order Fibre broadband.
The Deployment Area of Fermoy currently has an anticipated date for connection of June 2024 to July 2024.
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.
