National Broadband Plan is six months behind schedule, but can still be 'delivered on time' 

Representatives of National Broadband Ireland updated the Oireachtas Communications Committee on the plan, which aims to deliver high-speed broadband to all 26 counties in the Republic. File picture

The implementation of the National Broadband Plan is six months behind schedule, but can be delivered on time, an Oireachtas committee has heard.

Representatives of National Broadband Ireland updated the Oireachtas Communications Committee on the plan, which aims to deliver high-speed broadband to all 26 counties in the Republic.

TJ Malone, chief executive of National Broadband Ireland Deployment said the company was behind schedule currently by about six months, but that this will be "eaten into" by 2023. He said the plan will add 12,000 premises a month in 2022, getting close to the yearly target of 90,000.

Peter Hendrick, chief executive of NBI told TDs and senators he believed the project could be completed on time or earlier.

We believe that despite the extreme and turbulent conditions faced throughout the past 19 months due to Covid-19, the work of our team provides a platform and gives us confidence to deliver the project on time, or earlier, and on budget."

He said despite the pandemic, the company's plan was back on track.

"This was not just a factor felt by NBI, but the pressure was across every one of our subcontractors and other partners. During this second wave, the impact was arguably felt more severely than the first wave due to where we were at in our mobilisation plan."

However, Mr Hendrick assured the committee that “where we were affected by Covid-19, we have already recovered and are ahead of the plan”. 

He said the company had been forced to change its plans due to the lockdown in April and will now be targeting the connection of 60,000 premises by the end of this year. This is down from its original target of 115,000.

Pandemic disrupted plans

Mr Hendrick said the company “is as frustrated as anyone with the fact that the pandemic has disrupted our original plans”. 

However, he appeared to balk at the Government's commitment to accelerate the pace of the €3bn rollout of broadband, saying this would not be seen until years six and seven of the plan.

Committee chair Kieran O'Donnell said there was "extreme disappointment among the general public about the slow pace of the rollout".

"The rollout of the National Broadband Plan is one of the largest and most expensive contracts in the history of the State. It is also of critical importance to the development of economic and community life across rural and near urban areas in Ireland."