Electric.ie January February 2020

ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • 17 Industry News The National Broadband Plan Contract Goes Ahead T he roll out of high-speed broadband for homes, schools, businesses and farms across Ireland will start within weeks after the Government signed the contract for the National Broadband Plan on Tuesday, the 19th of November. The government also published a list of approximately 300 community centres, schools, library hubs and local GAA halls in every county in Ireland that will be connected to high speed broadband during 2020, to enable communities to quickly get free public access to high speed broadband. The contract signing means all of rural Ireland will get the same access to opportunities offered by high-speed broadband as those in urban areas. Rollout National Broadband Ireland will pass approximately 10,000 premises by the end of 2020. By the end of 2021, National Broadband Ireland plans to pass approximately 115,000 premises. Approximately 70,000-100,000 premises will be passed each year thereafter with the final premises to be completed in 2026. Government Extends Smoky Coal Ban to 13 Towns A ll towns with population over 10,000 will be covered by the ban, according to Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Richard Bruton. However, the minister has said that the government will not be proceeding with a nationwide ban on smoky coal, on the basis that such a ban carries a serious risk of illegality, unless peat, turf and wet wood were also included. “I am extending the smoky coal ban to 13 additional towns based on the evidence of poor air quality with seriously damaging effects on health.” “From September 2020, smoky coal will be banned in thirteen additional towns, meaning smoky coal will be banned in all towns in the country with populations over 10,000 people,” The additional towns are Cavan Town, Cobh, Midleton, Mallow, Killarney, Longford Town, Castlebar, Ballina, Ashbourne, Laytown-Bettystown, Tullamore, Tramore, Enniscorthy.