NBP helps create 23 jobs in Cavan

Working in partnership with NBI, over 20 specialist sub-contractors are helping to create extensive job opportunities across the country.

The company delivering the National Broadband Plan (NBP) on behalf of the Government has today announced that over 1,000 people have been employed by the project since it commenced in January 2020.

As the biggest and most significant investment in rural Ireland, the NBP is viewed as one of the most ambitious telecoms projects globally and will provide high-speed fibre broadband to over 1.1 million people once complete.

Responsible for designing, building and operating Ireland’s new high-speed fibre broadband network, National Broadband Ireland (NBI) has grown its team from just over 30 personnel to 230 in the 17 months since work began.

Working in partnership with NBI, over 20 specialist sub-contractors are helping to create extensive job opportunities across the country.

Some 23 of those jobs created have been in Cavan.

Employment realised elsewhere includes Kildare (69), Donegal (31), Cork (49), Kerry (69), Limerick (78), Tipperary (35) Kilkenny (22) and Offaly (28).

A total of 55 positions have also been filled from the live register.

NBI is also responsible for managing an extensive supply chain of specialist sub-contractors to help deliver the National Broadband Plan, which has created further job opportunities for over 800 people to-date.

“These 1,000 plus jobs are providing opportunities for people living in every county in the country,” said Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD. “We’ve all seen the true value of connectivity over the past year. I know National Broadband Ireland has worked hard to implement the Plan as quickly and efficiently as possible, despite the challenges of the pandemic.”

After years of poor service, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan welcomed that every home, farm and business will get reliable, high-speed broadband, no matter where they are.

The National Broadband Plan will connect over 544,000 homes, businesses and farms across Ireland to high-speed fibre-to-the-home broadband, using enough fibre to go round the world nearly four times.

“Better access to broadband will help facilitate more learning and remote working and more balanced regional development, spreading jobs and prosperity right around the country.”

At the peak of the roll-out, it is expected that up to 1,800 jobs will be created by the National Broadband Plan.

David McCourt, Chairman at NBI commented that since the contract became effective in January 2020, the company has rapidly grown despite the challenging environment caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Employment opportunities on the NBP span the survey, design and build of the new high-speed fibre network, as well as roles across IT, network operations, sales and marketing, legal and project management.

“The survey work involves physically walking the routes where fibre will be laid,” said Mr McCourt. “While working in accordance with the Government’s Covid-19 guidelines to keep our teams and the public safe, we are doing everything in our power to ensure we can connect premises as quickly as possible.”