Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 December 2025
271. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the key measures taken to support universal access to high-speed broadband during 2025; his priorities for 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73140/25]
View answerThe Programme for Government – Securing Ireland’s Future published in January 2025 sets a number of targets which include the completion of 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.
I am advised by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) that there are over 564,000 premises in the Intervention Area (IA) and design work has been completed for 100% of these. These are premises located in the Amber area on the broadband map which is available on www.gov.ie/en/publication/5634d-national-broadband-plan-map/. The AMBER area is to be served by the network deployed under the NBP State led intervention.
The NBP remains ahead of target having already passed the end of 2025 target of 425,000 with over 439,700 premises in the intervention area passed which is 78% of the premises in the IA and are connecting on average 4,500 premises to their fibre network per month.
NBI also advise that 450,950 premises, across all counties in mainly rural areas, can now order or pre-order broadband and over 158,050 premises are already connected.
Based on current plans and achievements, the Department expect to deliver the deployment of the NBP by the end of 2026, as per the Programme for Government commitment.
Further details are available on specific counties and areas which 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 Open Eir, Virgin Media and Siro in expanding their next generation networks throughout the State in the non-intervention area which is identified by the blue area on the broadband map map ensuring the targets set out in the Digital Connectivity strategy are achieved.
The NBP along with the commercial fibre developments are working in tandem to reach near universal high-speed broadband coverage when the network builds are complete.
