137. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to confirm that the connection timeframes anticipated will be met on the NBI roll-out for deployment areas (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4128/26]

Sentiment score: 0.01

I want to raise with the Minister the roll-out of the national broadband plan in the area west of Macroom - the switches for Carriganimmy, Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh and Dunmanway. They cover large rural areas going from Clondrohid around Cill na Martra, Reananerree, on down towards Cappeen, Kilmichael, Johnstown and out around Togher, Shanacrane, and Doirín na Cathrach. It is a very large rural area and they are keen to get that roll-out advanced as soon as possible.

Sentiment score: 0.21

I fully appreciate that the roll-out of such a large plan has to start somewhere and has to end somewhere. The switches in the Carriganimmy, Ballingeary and Dunmanway area are towards the latter part of the plan. Residents in those areas could reasonably expect that things that would have been learned from the earlier deployments could be put in place to speed up the later deployments, such as in the area west of Macroom. Is that actually being done? Is it possible to get it done faster in the later deployments than in the earlier deployments? For example, people in Ballingeary will have seen the coils of pipes standing there probably for most of the year at this stage, as the deployment has been ongoing there. They have been very patient, perhaps too patient. They want to see more headway on it and to make sure that those timelines are being met. Could the Minister confirm that the deployments will meet the timelines? Is there a way of bringing them forward?

Sentiment score: 0.08

I thank the Minister. He raises a very reasonable point about the way it was when we came in here, when it was a much bigger issue, but for the people in the Ballingeary, Carriganimmy and Dunmanway area, it has continued to be an issue. They were in the later part of the deployment and in fairness to them, they have been very patient. There is a level of frustration and people need to see that headway can now be made, and that possible lessons that would have been learned from earlier parts of the deployment can advance things more quickly in the later part of the deployment. Are they able to get ahead of schedule? Does the Minister have any more details on whether they will release all three switches at the same time or is there a possibility that an issue on any one of those switches could delay the other ones? Principally, people want reassurance and certainty that they are going to get that broadband roll-out over the coming months.

Sentiment score: 0.02