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Press release

Minister Canney welcomes signing of National Broadband Plan contract

More than 300 premises in remote areas to benefit from early Broadband Connection Points

Seán Canney TD, Item was unpublished or removed today, 19 November, welcomed the signing of the National Broadband Plan contract.

Commenting on the development, Minister Canney said:

“Today is a landmark day for Ireland, and rural Ireland in particular. The signing of the contract with National Broadband Ireland for the delivery of high-speed broadband to over half a million premises is a huge step closer to universal connectivity for everyone in Ireland.

“The Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce, which I chair, has made huge strides in preparing for the delivery of the National Broadband Plan, by identifying and addressing issues that have the potential to delay the roll-out on the ground.

It is in my capacity as Chair of the Taskforce and as Minister of State for Natural Resources, Community Affairs and Digital Development that I joined the Cabinet today as the contract was signed off.

“We are now ready to go. Rural Ireland is ready to go, and our Local Authorities are ready to go. We have Broadband Officers employed across the country, co-financed by the Department of Rural and Community Development, and they are ready to do their part to ensure that the roll-out of high-speed broadband goes as smoothly as possible.”

Minister Canney continued:

“The NBP will be delivered throughout the country on a phased basis. However, we also need to support areas which might otherwise not be fully connected until later on in the process.

“That is why we are also launching today the Broadband Connection Points initiative. This initiative will see more than 300 premises in some of the most remote parts of the country provided with a high-speed broadband solution, making on-site internet access available to local communities.”

Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are typically public buildings, such as schools, community centres and sports clubs. These locations will be provided with a wireless broadband connection and will, in turn, make this connectivity available to the public at the location. The BCP model is a joint initiative of the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.

Minister Canney added:

“Local Broadband Officers, supported by my officials, have identified BCP sites in every county and are working closely with the site owners. They have done a tremendous amount of work on this project, meeting people, visiting schools, community centres and sports clubs. I would also like to commend the site owners for making their premises available. They have been asked to support their communities and they have agreed enthusiastically to do so.”

Minister Canney also took the opportunity to highlight the significant financial commitment the Government is making in the National Broadband Plan and in connecting all parts of the country, including the Western region.

He said:

“The National Broadband Plan will see a maximum possible investment of €3 billion by the Government in broadband infrastructure. This includes investment of €887 million in the Atlantic Economic Corridor (AEC) counties alone, along the western seaboard from Kerry to Donegal. This represents a huge commitment to promoting economic development in the AEC region and will help attract investment, support job creation and connect communities in the region.”

ENDS

The NBP State Intervention area includes

  • 537,596 premises
  • 1.1m citizens (23% of national population)
  • 56,000 farms
  • 44,000 business
  • 695 schools

The Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce is made up of senior officials from a number of Government departments and agencies and engages with the telecoms industry. Its remit, since its inception, has been to identify potential barriers to the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan and also to identify measures that could be taken to improve connectivity in the interim.

The organisations represented in the Taskforce are:

  • Department of Rural and Community Development
  • Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
  • Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
  • Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government
  • Local Government Management Agency
  • Transport Infrastructure Ireland
  • County and City Management Association
  • Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg)
  • Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland
  • ESB Networks
  • Office of Public Works

Quarterly and Annual Reports of the Taskforce can be found here

Broadband Connection Points

Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are typically public buildings, such as schools, community centres and sports clubs. These locations will be provided with a wireless broadband connection and will, in turn, make this connectivity available to the public onsite. BCPs will be established in some of the most remote areas and is a joint initiative of the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.

Atlantic Economic Corridor

The Atlantic Economic Corridor is a collaborative initiative involving key Government Departments, public bodies, the business sector, local and regional government bodies and Third Level Institutions. The aim of the AEC initiative is to act as an enabler for the regional growth by combining the assets of the Atlantic seaboard region, from Donegal to Kerry, to attract investment, support job creation and improve the quality of life for the people of the region.

The initiative is driven by the AEC Taskforce which was founded in March 2017, and chaired by Minister Canney.

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