Latest county milestone achieved as national deployment nears completion 

National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, and Clare County Council have today announced the completion of the National Broadband Plan (NBP)’s main infrastructure build works in County Clare.

The milestone marks a major step forward for communities across the county, with high-speed fibre broadband now available to homes, farms, businesses and schools in areas that previously had no access to reliable, high-speed connectivity.

With the completion of the main NBI infrastructure rollout, Clare becomes the fifteenth county to reach this milestone as the nationwide deployment moves into its final phase ahead of completion later this year.

The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport noted that: “Clare is renowned for its dramatic Atlantic coastline, the unique landscape of the Burren and a rich traditional music heritage, with tourism supporting livelihoods across its rural communities. With the main National Broadband Plan rollout complete, homes, farms, businesses and schools across the county now have access to the world-class digital connectivity they need to thrive.

“This €89 million Government investment means 24,000 premises across Clare can access the high-speed fibre broadband they need to work, learn, do business and stay connected.

“The infrastructure being delivered under the National Broadband Plan will support communities and businesses across the county for decades to come, helping Clare to remain connected, competitive, and ready for the opportunities of the future.”

To mark this milestone, Clare County Council hosted a reception at Scariff Community & Enterprise Hub featuring addresses Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Joe Killeen, Brefne Sweeney, Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Gordon Daly and David McCourt, Chairman of National Broadband Ireland.

There are approximately 24,000 premises in County Clare that are included in the State’s Intervention Area, where NBI is delivering minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second to homes, businesses, farms and schools. The rollout represents €89 million of Government investment in the county, with over 7,600 premises already connected to the network.

Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Joe Killeen, said: “This is great news for Clare, especially for people living in our rural communities. Having reliable, high-speed broadband means more opportunities to work from home, study or run a business without having to leave the place you call home. It also makes it easier to keep in touch with family and friends and access everyday services. We want people of all ages to feel confident using these services so that everyone can share in the benefits of a better-connected Clare.”

Gordon Daly, Chief Executive, Clare County Council, said: “Bringing vacant properties back into use and enabling new homes must go hand in hand with the infrastructure that makes places attractive to live and work. High-speed broadband is an essential part of that picture, supporting enterprise, remote working and access to services. This milestone strengthens our capacity to create the conditions for investment, support sustainable communities and help our towns, villages and rural areas retain and attract people.”

David McCourt, Chairman of National Broadband Ireland, said: “County Clare has been my home in Ireland for almost 30 years, so reaching this milestone is particularly meaningful to me. In fact, my own experience of struggling to get a reliable connection at my home here was one of the reasons I became so passionate about the National Broadband Plan.”

“For me, this project has always been about much more than broadband. It’s about ensuring that people living in rural communities have the same opportunities as those in our cities. It’s about giving young people the choice to build their careers and futures in the places they call home and giving local businesses the tools to compete and thrive.”

“The completion of the main rollout in Clare is an achievement we can all be proud of, and a testament to the hard work of everyone involved. But the real measure of success will be what people do with this infrastructure. We now have an extraordinary opportunity to help communities across Clare prosper for generations to come.”

Across the country, more than 542,000 premises have now been passed by the NBI network, marking a significant milestone as this was the total number of premises included in the National Broadband Plan at the time the contract was signed. Throughout the rollout, a further 29,000 premises have been added to the intervention area, meaning the NBI network will provide access to high-speed broadband for approximately 566,000 premises nationwide. To date, more than 197,000 premises have already connected to the network.  

In many areas where the network has been live for longer, take-up rates have already exceeded 60%, demonstrating strong demand for reliable, future-proof fibre connectivity. Communities across Ireland are now benefiting from broadband capable of supporting remote and hybrid working, online learning, digital health services, agri-tech innovation, tourism, and local enterprise development. 

NBI is a wholesale network operator, meaning homes and businesses order broadband services through retail broadband providers rather than directly from NBI. Residents and businesses in NBI’s rollout area can check their Eircode on the NBI website to confirm availability, view the range of broadband providers offering services on the network, and place an order with their preferred provider.  

Caption

(L-R) Gordon Daly, Chief Executive, Clare County Council; Joe Killeen, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council; David McCourt, Chairperson of NBI; Brefne Sweeney, Principal Officer, Digital Connectivity Office, Department of Culture, Communications and Sport; and Minister Timmy Dooley, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, pictured at the National Broadband Plan milestone completion event, held at Scariff, Co Clare. Photo: John Kelly