Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 May 2026
26. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the up-to-date position on connection timeframes for NBI deployment areas (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33166/26]
View answer28. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 45 of 16 April 2026, where under the revised 2025 National Development Plan under the National Strategic Outcome (NSO) 3 the National Broadband Plan is on track for completion by the end of 2026, to confirm that NBI deployment areas (details supplied) in Cork County are on track for connection in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33167/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 28 together.
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.
I am advised by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) that over 465,810 premises are passed across all counties, mainly in rural areas, and are available for immediate connection with over 173,690 already connected. The remaining circa 85,000 premises will be passed by the end of 2026.
In the Deputy’s own county of Cork, a significant investment of €314 million is being made under the NBP. There are over 62,300 premises passed with a high-speed fibre broadband network and 62,700 premises available to order/pre-order, with over 20,600 premises now connected. A further circa 20,700 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 the Dunmanway (4,200 premises), Ballingeary (963 premises) and Carriganimmy (3,974 premises) Deployment Areas. Network build is in progress for all three of the Deployment Areas, and all premises in the Dunmanway Deployment Area will be made available to order / passed in the period July 2026 to September 2026 while the Deployment Areas of Ballingeary and Carriganimmy 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.
Question No. 28 answered with Question No. 26.
