(L-R) Nikki Campbell, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office Louth; Wayne Macken, Broadband Officer, Louth County Council; Feargal Ó Coigligh, Secretary General, Department of Culture, Communications & Sport; Cllr. Dolores Minogue, Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council; David Conway, Chief Executive, Louth County Council and Mairead Meyer, Chief Operations Officer, National Broadband Ireland at the National Broadband Plan milestone completion event in Louth. Photo: David Norton.
The main National Broadband Plan infrastructure build has been completed across County Louth following a €33 million Government investment.
Around 9,000 homes, farms, businesses and schools in the State Intervention Area can now access the National Broadband Ireland fibre network.
More than 3,500 premises in Louth are already connected, with the network offering minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second.
The completion of the main build means communities across rural Louth, including areas stretching from the Cooley Peninsula through Mid-Louth and towards Drogheda, can now order high-speed fibre broadband where the network is available.
€33 million invested in Louth
Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O’Donovan said the completion of the network was a significant milestone for the county.
“The completion of the National Broadband Plan build in County Louth is a significant milestone in delivering on our commitment to connect every community to the opportunities of the digital economy,” he said.
“This €33 million Government investment is giving homes, businesses and communities across Louth the connectivity they need to work, grow, and compete.”
He said the rollout would support enterprise, innovation and opportunities for people living outside the county’s main urban centres.
“This is about more than broadband. It is about giving people the tools to build their future in the communities they call home.”
More than 3,500 premises already connected
Louth County Council marked the milestone with a reception at the Oriel Centre in Dundalk.
Cathaoirleach Cllr Dolores Minogue said the completion of the main rollout meant every community within the National Broadband Plan intervention area in Louth could access the fibre network.
“From the Cooley Peninsula to Mid-Louth and Drogheda, rural families, farmers, businesses, schools and community organisations can now benefit from the same world-class digital connectivity available in our larger towns and urban centres,” she said.
“This investment strengthens the foundations of our communities, supports education, enterprise and local development, and ensures that people across County Louth can enjoy the same connectivity opportunities as anywhere else in Ireland.”
Network available, but customers still need to order
National Broadband Ireland operates the network on a wholesale basis, meaning customers do not buy broadband directly from NBI.
Homes and businesses need to place an order with one of the broadband providers operating on the network.
Mairead Meyer, Chief Operations Officer with National Broadband Ireland, said:
“Through strong collaboration with Government, Louth County Council and our delivery partners, 9,000 homes, farms, businesses and schools across the county can now access the NBI fibre network.
“While the network build is complete, the next step belongs to the people of Louth. Over 3,500 premises are already connected, and we are seeing strong demand from homes, farms and businesses who recognise the value of reliable, high-speed fibre broadband.”
Residents and businesses can check their Eircode on the NBI website to confirm whether their premises is ready for connection and to view available broadband providers.
Rollout nearing national completion
Nationally, NBI says the main fibre network build remains on track for completion by the end of 2026.
The network is expected to make high-speed broadband available to 566,000 homes, farms and businesses across rural Ireland.
Almost 532,000 premises can already order broadband through the network, with more than 193,000 connections completed to date.
For Louth, the completion of the main build marks the end of the infrastructure phase and shifts the focus towards getting more households and businesses connected.
