National Broadband Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta have announced a partnership to support the rollout of high-speed fibre broadband to homes, businesses and farms in Gaeltacht areas.

Údarás, the State’s key authority for the development of the Gaeltacht area, is providing parcels of land at key locations for the installation of the core fibre optic equipment to facilitate the delivery of high-speed broadband.

The availability of these sites is allowing NBI – the company rolling out the new high-speed fibre broadband network under the Government’s National Broadband Plan – to build Equipment Accommodation Modules (EAMs) in key locations so they can efficiently and effectively carry out their work with minimum disruption to the surrounding community who will ultimately benefit from the high-speed fibre network.

Údarás is currently facilitating National Broadband Ireland equipment on their premises at Salerno Business Park in Aille West and plans are in place for further deployments at other sites.

The national broadband rollout continues to gather pace across all 26 counties. Over 166,000 homes, farms, and businesses are ready to connect to high-speed fibre on the NBI network, with 49,000 premises connected so far.

Údarás na Galetachta CEO Tomás Ó Síocháin said they were delighted to support the National Broadband Plan rollout in Gaeltacht areas.

“The availability of high-speed, reliable broadband plays an enormous role in allowing people and businesses to fully participate in so many aspects of everyday life and work. The broadband rollout will be crucial for local economies in communities across the Gaeltacht and rural Ireland,” he said.

At the same time, one Galway TD and former Junior Minister this week called on NBI and Government to accelerate the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan – if we are to achieve the target of 96% of all houses and premises to have access to fiber optic broadband connection by 2026.

Galway East Deputy Sean Canney that the figure of 154,437 as of July 27 was well short of the initial projection of having 250,000 houses passed within two years of the commencement of the project in 2019.

“I accept that Covid was a delaying factor, but we are way passed that issue and are now into year four of a five-to-seven-year project timescale to deliver the National Broadband Plan,” he said.

“The state led intervention aims to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the intervention area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in over 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools.

“With four years of the plan period gone and three years left, there is just 27% of the 560,00 premises passed now is the time to evaluate progress and put the necessary implementation plan in place to ensure with react our targets which were set out in the Plan,” he added.

Pictured: Broadband roll-out…partnership speeds up delivery.