Ireland’s digital infrastructure continues to expand

The Digital Framework 2023 Progress Report shows that Ireland maintained its status as a digital leader, with a 98 per cent take-up of mobile broadband well in excess of the EU’s 87 per cent average.

Progress towards Ireland’s national and EU-level connectivity targets through the implementation of the Digital Connectivity Strategy is on track. The delivery of fibre-to- home broadband is making strong progress, with 70 per cent of premises in commercial areas now upgraded, and over 600,000 premises now with full fibre subscriptions, as reported by ComReg.

According to DESI 2023, Ireland retained its leading position on mobile broadband take-up (98 per cent versus an EU average of 87 per cent), and improvements can be seen across connectivity indicators, including 5G spectrum.

In rural areas, the report outlines that construction is complete or underway across “all remote areas” under the €2.7 billion National Broadband Plan.

“More than 200,000 premises have now been passed with full fibre, and there are over 60,000 subscriptions. Of the €2.7 billion, €348 million of State funding was approved in Budget 2024 to continue expanding to over 600,000 rural premises,” the report says.

The report further says that broadband connection points are now in place at just under 300 locations across all counties. Under this programme, designated community centres, GAA and other public buildings provide free high-speed WiFi to the public, with many operating as digital hubs.

“The extension of high-speed broadband infrastructure to all primary schools in rural areas, including islands, is now complete under the National Broadband Plan,” the report states.

In 2023, a Digital Connectivity Office was established to oversee the delivery of Ireland’s digital connectivity targets including oversight of the National Broadband Plan contract with National Broadband Ireland. The office is also carrying out a significant review of Ireland’s international interconnectivity capacity to ensure future policy and demand needs are met over the coming decades.

The report states that work is underway to establish a universal service standard for broadband and voice services; this will ensure that all citizens are entitled to adequate broadband and voice services at an affordable price.

The new Maritime Area Planning legislative regime established a planning and consenting regime for the subsea telecommunications cable sector; the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) was established in July 2023, and the development of the Maritime Area Consenting (MAC) regime that will apply to the sector is underway.
Expansion of Ireland’s digital infrastructure is described in the report as a key objective of various government policies. The National Broadband Plan (NBP), valued at €2.7 billion, is a cornerstone initiative aimed at expanding full-fibre broadband across the country.

Gigabit and 5G connectivity are also central to the Harnessing Digital strategy, with Ireland maintaining a leading position in mobile broadband uptake at 98 per cent. The rollout of fibre-to-home technology is progressing well, with 70 per cent of premises in commercial areas now upgraded. These developments are not only vital for business innovation but also for enhancing the quality of life for Irish citizens, enabling remote work, telemedicine, and other digital services.

The State’s progress in enhancing international connectivity, through initiatives such as the review of interconnectivity capacity, positions the nation as a critical hub for global digital traffic. The review states that the Government aims to anticipate future demand, ensuring that the State can meet global business requirements and data flow.

Speaking upon publication of the report, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with responsibility for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Dara Calleary TD, says: “On the wider digital agenda, our engagement with stakeholders, including industry and regulators, continues to be an important part of our approach.”