More than half a million homes, farms and businesses can now order high-speed fibre broadband
11 further county completion milestones expected by end of October
Main infrastructure rollout remains on track for completion by the end of 2026
National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company delivering the Government’s National Broadband Plan, has announced that more than 500,000 homes, farms and businesses have now been passed by its high-speed fibre network.
The landmark achievement means that more than half a million premises across rural Ireland can now place an order for a fibre broadband connection through a participating internet service provider.
89% of the approximately 566,000 premises currently included in the National Broadband Plan Intervention Area have now been passed. The Intervention Area has grown by approximately 29,000 premises since the contract for the National Broadband Plan was signed, when 537,000 premises were identified for inclusion. The main infrastructure rollout remains on track for completion by the end of 2026.
Speaking recently, Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, said: “Passing 500,000 premises is a landmark moment for the National Broadband Plan and for rural Ireland. This project is our generation’s version of rural electrification, creating new opportunities and ensuring that people can continue to live, work and raise their families in thriving rural communities.”
“High-speed broadband is enabling people to work and study from home, supporting the growth of farms and businesses, and ensuring communities have reliable access to essential public and digital services.”
“The National Broadband Plan is on track, with the rollout progressing on time and on budget and with further county completion milestones approaching. It is clear that the Government’s intervention is delivering real results, connecting communities, and creating opportunities right across Ireland.”
David McCourt, Chairman of National Broadband Ireland, said: “We’re very proud to have now passed 500,000 premises. This milestone represents a long-term investment in the future of rural communities and in Ireland’s capacity to compete, innovate and grow.”
“The National Broadband Plan is creating essential infrastructure that will serve generations. It demonstrates what can be achieved when Government, industry and communities work together towards a shared ambition: ensuring that where someone chooses to live does not limit their access to opportunity.”
“I want to thank everyone whose commitment and expertise have brought the project to this defining point. We now have the finish line firmly in sight.”
TJ Malone, Chief Executive Officer, National Broadband Ireland, said: “Passing over half a million premises at this stage of the programme is a hugely significant achievement for NBI and for the many people involved in delivering the National Broadband Plan.”
“Building a fibre network across some of Ireland’s most rural and remote locations is an enormous engineering and operational undertaking. We are now firmly in the final phase of the main build, and our focus is on maintaining the pace of delivery and completing the remaining premises by the end of 2026.”
“The next sequence of county completion milestones planned for September and October reflects the momentum across the programme. Our teams will continue working with local authorities, delivery partners and communities to complete the main build and help more people connect to the network.”
Next County Completion Milestones
NBI expects it will complete the main infrastructure build in 11 more counties before the end of October. Six counties have been completed to date: Kilkenny, Longford, Meath, Tipperary, Waterford and Westmeath.
One county completion will be achieved in August, six in September and four are expected in October:
| August 2026 | September 2026 | October 2026 |
| Dublin | Monaghan Laois Leitrim Sligo Offaly KIldare | Louth Wexford Cavan Roscommon |
NBI will maintain a clear cadence of rollout milestones on a county-by-county basis throughout the remainder of 2026, providing greater visibility for communities awaiting connection.
More than 183,000 premises are already connected to the NBI network. Average take-up is approximately 36%, rising above 60% in areas where services have been available for longer.
The National Broadband Plan is delivering minimum broadband speeds of 500 megabits per second to homes, farms, businesses and schools in the Intervention Area. The programme will make high-speed fibre broadband available to approximately 1.1 million people across rural Ireland.
Residents and businesses in NBI’s rollout area can check their Eircode on the NBI website to confirm availability and view the list of broadband providers offering services over the network. NBI is a wholesale network operator, meaning homes and businesses order services through broadband providers rather than directly from NBI.
