Work on the rollout of a new high-speed fibre broadband network is progressing well in County Laois.

National Broadband Ireland (NBI) delivered an update on the project during the first day of the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska.

Over 13,000 premises in County Laois are included in the Intervention Area (IA), which includes homes, farms, commercial businesses and schools. Under the government's National Broadband Plan, Laois will see an investment of €49 million in the new high speed fibre network. This will enable e-learning, remote monitoring of livestock or equipment, e-health initiatives, better energy efficiency in the home, and facilitate remote working.

Construction has now begun to deliver high-speed fibre broadband to 1,766 premises in Ballylinan over the coming months. This brings the total premises across Laois that are in the construction phase to just over 6,000.  

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In Portlaoise, 3,509 homes and businesses can anticipate a date for connection to the NBI network by early in the new year. 

The Laois Deployment Area also includes some townlands in neighbouring counties. The NBI network is live in the Roscrea and Carlow areas of the Laois Deployment Area where 1,145 homes, farms and businesses can place an order with one of NBI’s retail partners to get connected to minimum speeds of 500 Mbps.

Engineering surveys have also been completed in Castlecomer, Mount Bolus, Mountrath and Templemore for an additional 3,924 premises. These areas will now move into the Detailed Design stage of the programme where NBI will map the new fibre network that has to be built for each area in the county.

Peter Hendrick, Chief Executive Officer, National Broadband Ireland, said: "Momentum has been steadily building in the progression of the National Broadband Plan rollout, with homes across the country being connected to high-speed broadband. Our teams continue to work on the rollout plan and substantial progress has been made from surveying, design and build to connection works.

"I'm delighted NBI is at the Ploughing Championships where we're showcasing the limitless possibilities that will be unlocked by access to the high-speed fibre National Broadband Plan network. We are currently working closely with retail service providers, and our construction partners, to ensure homes, farms and business in County Laois can look forward to accessing NBI's minimum speeds of 500Mbps and the opportunities that come with that.

"Our mission is to end the digital divide across the country. Digital connectivity is critical to many of our activities, and this new Fibre-to-the-Home network, will be a key enabler for the sustainability of local businesses and communities."