Kilkenny becomes first county to see major infrastructure project completed
Local and national politicians along with Minister Patrick O’Donovan, gathered at Kilkenny Castle to mark the project’s completion
National Broadband Ireland (NBI) and the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, has announced the completion of the NBP’s main infrastructure build works in County Kilkenny, marking the first in a series of county completion milestones to be reached this year.
Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, marked the milestone at an event today that highlighted the role of high-speed connectivity in supporting the arts, media and creative sectors.
With Kilkenny recognised nationally and internationally for its contribution to culture, animation and filmmaking, the event exploited how fibre broadband is supporting creative enterprise, digital production and collaboration in rural and isolated communities.
Minister O’Donovan said: “Today’s announcement marks an important milestone for County Kilkenny and for the National Broadband Plan as a whole. The completion of the main infrastructure build works here is the first in a series of county completion milestones that will be reached as the rollout enters its final phase.”
“The largest infrastructure project since rural electrification, the National Broadband Plan is reshaping rural Ireland. Its purpose is to ensure that homes, farms, businesses and communities, no matter how remote, can access the same opportunities as those in our towns and cities.”
“The focus is now firmly on completing the national rollout and ensuring that location is no longer a barrier to high-speed, reliable fibre broadband. Today’s milestone is proof of the progress that has been made, and the momentum now carrying us through the final phase of delivery,” he added.
More than 19,000 premises in County Kilkenny are included in the State’s Intervention Area, the NBI is delivering minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second to homes, businesses, farms and schools.
Called the biggest investment in rural Ireland since rural electrification, the National Broadband Plan has delivered €72m of Government investment in County Kilkenny. To date, over 8,500 premises have already connected to the NBI network in the county.
Chief Executive of Kilkenny County Council, Lar Power said: “The completion of the National Broadband Plan rollout in Kilkenny is a hugely positive milestone for the county and reflects the strong collaboration between National Broadband Ireland, Government, local authorities and communities right across the region.”
“We have been proud to support this build from the outset, working closely with NBI to facilitate deployment on the ground and ensure that homes, farms and businesses can now access high-speed connectivity.”
“This investment will make a lasting difference to how people live and work in Kilkenny, enabling greater opportunities for enterprise, education and community development for many years to come,” he concluded.
NBI’s fibre rollout is delivering broadband infrastructure to what is known as the State’s Intervention Area, which includes the most remote and rural parts of Ireland where commercial operators have no plans to deliver high-speed broadband.