Latest news with #NationalBroadbandPlan
Irish Post
13-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Post
Premises on remote Achill Island in Co. Mayo get high-speed broadband connection
PREMISES on the remote Achill Island in Co. Mayo have been connected to high-speed fibre broadband as part of a national rollout. Main build works on the island infrastructure are now complete, hooking up more than 2,500 homes, farms and businesses to high-speed broadband. Residents will now have the same access to 2GB broadband as the 380,000 premises currently connected across the country. National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company rolling out the National Broadband Plan (NBP), hosted an event on the Island this week to mark the first connections on Achill. "No premises is too rural or too remote and we're proud to be here on Achill Island — one of 27 offshore islands in our rollout — to mark the availability of our world-class fibre network," said NBI Founder and Chairman David McCourt. The NBP is one of the largest State infrastructure projects since rural electrification and is the largest-ever telecommunications project undertaken by the State. The rollout area accounts for 23 per cent of the population in approximately 564,000 homes, farms, schools and businesses. The project will radically change the broadband landscape across the country to ensure that every premises has access to high-speed broadband, no matter where they are. Once finished, all parts of Ireland will have access to a modern, reliable broadband network, able to support all communications, information, education and entertainment requirements. 'A real game-changer' "The delivery of fibre broadband infrastructure to Achill Island is a significant milestone for NBI, and we are delighted to have end customers already connected and enjoying the benefits of reliable, high-speed broadband," said TJ Malone, CEO of NBI. "This is a major step forward for digital connectivity, helping people stay connected, work remotely, stream seamlessly and access vital online services." John Barrett, the owner of Lilí Bán Café on Achill, has connected to the new network through the provider Westnet and believes the rollout will boost business on the island. "I opened Lilí Bán Café in the summer of 2021 and soon realised that running a business on Achill Island has its challenges," he said. "Without fibre broadband, the weather often impacted the signal and reliability of the connection. "Since connecting to NBI's fibre with Westnet, it's been a real game-changer. At the café, we can now manage online bookings and operate a card machine. "It's exciting to see a new wave of business starting on the island and fibre connectivity has definitely played a big part in this."
Irish Daily Mirror
08-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Government to progress 'right to be forgotten' for cancer survivors
The Government will progress plans to give cancer survivors the 'right to be forgotten' and end barriers to accessing financial products. The plans will be brought forward by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and will see legislation proposed by Fianna Fáil's Catherine Ardagh progressed. She introduced the proposals in February, arguing that those who have survived cancer ' deserve to be treated fairly when accessing financial products such as mortgages, health insurance, and travel insurance'. Sources said on Monday evening that the Department of Finance has engaged extensively with stakeholders, including the Irish Cancer Society, Insurance Ireland, regulators, and international peers, in order to identify the most appropriate and effective means to progress this legislation. This culminated in the recommendation to adopt and substantially amend the Central Bank (Amendment) Bill 2025, introduced by Deputy Ardagh. Minister Donohoe will recommend that the Bill should be progressed through the second stage of the legislative process. Committee Stage amendments are also being prepared as the Department of Finance works in consultation with the Attorney General's Office to ensure the Bill is fully compliant with EU law and operationally viable. The amendments will ensure that the Bill is focused on mortgage protection insurance, in line with EU best practice. Elsewhere, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) will be able to sell off the assets of crime within two years rather than seven under plans to be brought to Cabinet by Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan. Cabinet will hear that the confiscation of criminal proceeds is 'an essential means of combatting organised crime as it deprives criminals of illicit profits, preventing the further investment of criminal proceeds in either the legitimate economy or criminal enterprises'. When a judicial determination is made that assets are the proceeds of crime, it will allow for the 'immediate and automatic appointment of a receiver' to ensure that the criminals cannot continue to benefit from those assets pending a final disposal order being made. In the EU, estimated criminal revenues amount to almost €110 billion per year, which is equivalent to 1% of EU GDP. In Ireland, the value of crime markets is calculated at €1.7 billion per annum. Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill will bring a memo to crack down on overspending in the health service. This will put requirements on the HSE Board and CEO regarding appropriate systems, procedures and practices to 'exercise the highest standards of prudent and effective financial and budgetary management'. It will also require that proposals for corrective action be put in place where expenditure levels have been exceeded. Arts Minister Patrick O'Donovan will provide an update on the National Broadband Plan and will tell Cabinet that it will be delivered 'ahead of time and within budget'. He will also tell ministers that a Daniel O'Connell commemorative programme of events will take place, featuring a state-led commemoration in Derrynane House in Kerry, the gifting of a statue from Bank of Ireland, the creation of special stamps by An Post and commemorative coins from the Central Bank. Environment Minister Darragh O'Brien will seek approval of the Air Pollution Act (Amendment) Bill 2025. This will further support enforcement personnel to protect public health from the impacts of air pollution and to support continuous improvement in air quality. Sources stated that it will not impact the current arrangements for householders and makes no changes to the existing rules relating to turf.
RTÉ News
08-07-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Criminal assets legislation to be brought to Cabinet
Legislation which aims to strengthen the State's ability to identify, freeze and confiscate assets which have been linked to serious and organised crime, will be brought to Cabinet today by Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan. It is estimated that the value of crime in Ireland is calculated at €1.7 billion per annum. Minister O'Callaghan is expected to tell his Cabinet colleagues today that the harder the State makes it for criminal organisations to obtain, launder and keep their money then the weaker they will become. His new legislation - The Proceeds of Crime and Related Matters Bill 2025 - seeks to strengthen the Criminal Assets Bureau's ability to target the proceeds of crime and improve the efficiency of their processes. One of the main planks of the legislation is to reduce from seven years to two years the time between a judicial determination being made that assets are the proceeds of crime and a final disposal order being available in respect of those assets. In addition, once a judicial determination that assets are the proceeds of crime has been made, the legislation provides for the immediate and automatic appointment of a receiver to ensure that respondents cannot continue to benefit from those assets, pending a final disposal order being made. National Broadband Plan Additionally, Minister for Media Patrick O'Donovan will tell Cabinet this morning that the National Broadband Plan will be delivered ahead of time and within budget. The latest update on the project suggests that 400,000 premises will be connected by the end of the summer, leaving the project well-positioned to achieve its target of 420,000 premises passed by the end of the year. National Broadband Plan Ireland, the Government initiative to bring high speed fibre powered broadband to rural Ireland, is said to be connecting 5,000 premises every month. The Minister will say that Ireland is on-track to be one of the first countries in Europe to provide high-speed broadband to 100% of the population, which creates long-term opportunities for Ireland. Every NBI fibre connection is capable of delivering up to 10Gbps speeds on day one, with initial speeds on offer of 500Mbps, 1Gbps and 2Gbps. Air Pollution Bill Minister for Climate, Energy and Environment Darragh O'Brien will seek Cabinet approval this morning for the the Air Pollution Bill (amendment) 2025. The legislation is expected to focus on measures to enhance the enforcement capacity of local authorities, and support the effective implementation of the solid fuel regulations. It will also deliver key aspects of Ireland's Clean Air Strategy with the aim of maximising the health benefits for the Irish public from continuous improvements to the air that they breathe. It is understood the bill does not impinge on the current arrangements in place for householders, or make changes to the existing rules that relate to turf. Education system The latest statistical analysis of Ireland's education system will be shared with Cabinet by Minister for Higher and Further Education James Lawless, Minister for Education Helen McEntee and Minister for Children Norma Foley. Education Indicators for Ireland 2024, based on data from the previous year, contains for the first time a chapter on education in early childhood and therefore all levels of education and learning are now covered. In further and higher education, the post-primary to higher education transition rate increased to 64.7% in 2023. At the same time, the gap between DEIS and non-DEIS schools narrowed by 2.7%, suggesting improved equality of access to higher education. Over 78,000 learners were supported by grants in their full-time enrolment in higher education in 2023, up from just over 60,000 in the previous year. In the first year of reporting, 45% of higher education learners surveyed who required accommodation resided in purpose-built student accommodation. Postgraduate research enrolments continued to increase in 2023, with increases in both full-time (+1.5%) and part-time (+7.2%) enrolments on PhD programmes. The total number of registrations on courses for Near-Zero Energy Building/Retrofit skills has increased almost tenfold from 455 in 2019 to close to 4,500 in 2023. Close to 15,000 learners (6.8%) in further education and training in 2023 reported having at least one disability. In 2023 the apprenticeship population continued to increase, approaching 27,500, and to diversify, with almost 16% on consortia-led programmes. Total apprenticeship certifications rose to their highest value in the observed period, surpassing 4,500 in 2023. The latest Adult Education Survey, conducted in 2022, revealed that 48.3% of adults had engaged in formal or non-formal learning in the previous 12 months, up 2.3% since the previous survey in 2017. Central Bank Amendment Bill Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe will outline his strategy to Cabinet today on how to advance legislation which seeks to ensure that people who have survived cancer should not be penalised for their past health experiences when trying to buy a home or other financial activities. The programme for Government includes a commitment to legislate for a statutory "Right to Be Forgotten" for cancer survivors, and Minister Donohoe will say that the Coalition remains fully committed to achieving that aim through its Central Bank Amendment Bill. It is understood that the Department of Finance has engaged extensively with stakeholders, including the Irish Cancer Society, Insurance Ireland, regulators, and international peers, in order to identify the most appropriate and effective means to progress this legislation. Minister Donohoe is now recommending that Government time is used to progress this bill through second stage. It is expected that committee stage amendments are also being prepared, and the Department of Finance will work in consultation with the Attorney General's Office, to ensure the bill is fully compliant with EU law and operationally viable. The amendments will ensure that the bill is focused on mortgage protection insurance, in line with EU best practice. In advancing the Central Bank Amendment Bill, the Government has incorporated and amended proposed legislation by Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin South Central Catherine Ardagh who has continued to work on the new bill, along with Minister of State Robert Troy.
Irish Independent
24-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Revealed – the latest rural Galway areas to get fibre broadband
There are 1,171 Galway premises in the Maam deployment area that can join the NBI network. The area includes the rural surrounds and townlands of An Fhairche (Clonbur), Letterbreckaun and Leitir Feoir (Letterfore). National Broadband Ireland is calling on people living nearby to check online to see if they are ready to connect. 40,000 premises in County Galway are included in the State's Intervention Area, which will see NBI deliver minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second to homes, businesses, farms, and schools. Galway will receive €153m of Government investment under the National Broadband Plan. Peter Hendrick, Chief Executive Officer, National Broadband Ireland, said: 'We are delighted to announce that almost 1,200 Galway premises in the Maam deployment area can now order high-speed broadband services through the NBI network. This will enable those who connect to experience the life-changing benefits of high-speed broadband with minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second. 'Overall, over 26,600 homes, businesses and farms in Co Galway can now order a high-speed fibre connection to the NBI network. This includes over 2,500 premises near Ballinasloe, over 2,600 near Athenry and over 3,700 in the rural surrounds of Galway City. We are working hard on the ground to progress other areas of the county through engineering survey, design and construction phases. We are encouraging Galway residents to visit the NBI website to check their Eircode and sign up for updates.'
Agriland
03-06-2025
- Business
- Agriland
40,000 farms now able to access high-speed fibre broadband
National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company delivering the government's National Broadband Plan (NBP), has announced that more than 40,000 farms can now access high-speed fibre broadband with over 17,000 already connected. Take-up among farms stands at 42.5%, trending significantly higher than the national average of 35%. In total, almost 65,000 farms will have access to high-speed fibre broadband through the National Broadband Plan. This milestone comes as NBI recently announced that more than two thirds of the premises included in its rollout area have now been passed with over 367,000 homes, farms and businesses across the country now able to access high-speed fibre broadband. To date, over 129,000 premises across the country have connected to the NBI Network, with take-up exceeding 60% in areas that were among the first to go live. Chief executive officer (CEO), National Broadband Ireland, Peter Hendrick said: 'We're proud to see such strong adoption of high-speed broadband among the farming community. 'With two in every five farms connected to the NBI Network, the uptake reflects the growing importance of digital tools and services in modern farming. 'A high-speed fibre connection is now an everyday essential for farmers and farm families across Ireland. 'Access to fibre broadband unlocks limitless opportunities and allows farmers to adopt new technologies to increase productivity, profitability and sustainability,' he added. The NBI representative said that rural communities should have access to the same benefits as urban areas – the same entertainment, work-from-home opportunities, and educational resources. 'We encourage farmers and everyone living in rural Ireland to check their Eircode on the NBI website and see if they can get connected today,' he continued. As a wholesale network operator, NBI does not sell fibre broadband directly to end users, rather it enables services from a range of broadband providers or retail service providers (RSPs). As a wholesale provider, NBI will make the new fibre-to-the-home network available to all RSPs operating in their rollout area. The National Broadband Ireland website is regularly updated to show estimated connection dates. NBI will be responsible for the management of the new national broadband network for at least the next 25 years.
