Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 October 2024
122. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress being made with the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan in north Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42562/24]
View answer123. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress being made with the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan in south Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42563/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 123 together.
Ireland'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 4,200 homes each month.
I am advised by NBI that over 300,180 premises are passed across 26 counties and available for immediate connection, which is over half the premises in the Intervention Area. Over 100,609 premises are already connected to the National Broadband Plan high-speed broadband network.
In the Deputy’s own county of Kildare over 11,432 premises are passed with a high-speed fibre broadband network and 12,169 available to order/pre-order, with 3,637 premises now connected. A further 3,568 premises with Kildare will be passed by NBI’s high speed fibre broadband by the end of the contract.
Further details are available on specific areas within County Kildare and can be monitored via nbi.ie/reps. NBI has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie, which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries.
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.
Open eir have already passed over 67,438 homes and businesses in Kildare with gigabit services, with plans to pass a further c.23,633 homes and businesses over the next 2 – 3 years. Other commercial operators are also continuing to increase their network footprint right across Kildare, with SIRO recently passing over 42,211 premises for full fibre and Virgin Media Ireland passing 52,948 premises.
