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Digital & Broadband

Waterford City & County Council has prepared a Digital Strategy to set the framework of support for communities and businesses to reap the full rewards of a digitally enabled society.

As part of the process, a period of public consultation ran in 2021, with an issues paper developed with feedback from the consultation and stakeholder engagement. It presented an overview of the strategy framework, set out questions and encouraged discussion that was considered in the strategy creation. Local input was vital to the entire Digital Strategy process with the Issues Paper stimulating interest and debate resulting in constructive, positive and helpful feedback.

Find our documents below:

Background


The development of a digital strategy for Waterford commenced back in early 2018 when a steering group was formed. The four main themes of the digital strategy; are:

  • Digital Infrastructure
  • Citizen/Community
  • Digital Economy
  • Digital Council

The working group is charged with developing objectives and actions for the Digital Strategy Implementation Plan under each theme and contributing to the Digital Strategy Report. Waterford’s Broadband Officer is coordinating the digital strategy through the working group and the Department of Communications (DCCAE), the Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) and their appointed consultants to deliver our local digital strategy.

A digital readiness assessment was completed in 2018, followed by training at national digital strategy workshops which led to the creation of guidelines for development of local digital strategies. These guidelines are helping to progress to report completion by laying out a strategy roadmap.

For more information on digital strategy for Waterford please contact the Broadband Development Officer at broadband@waterfordcouncil.ie

What is the National Broadband Plan?


The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is a Government policy initiative which aims to deliver high-speed broadband to every citizen and business in Ireland within 3-5 years of commencement of the large-scale rollout. This will be achieved through a combination of accelerated commercial development by telecommunications operations and a State intervention to provide high-speed broadband to those parts of the county where the commercial sector will not invest.

The Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment (DCCAE) is responsible for procuring a contractor to deliver the NBP and for the development of the High-Speed Broadband Map. Further information on the map can be found at www.broadband.gov.ie The Department of Rural and Community Development has been tasked with ensuring there are no local barriers to deployment of telecoms infrastructure once the NBP contract is awarded.

The Government Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE) are responsible for delivery of the NBP and are currently in the procurement process to appoint a contractor for the building-out of the infrastructure for the NBP. Please click the following links for more information on the NBP latest news and the procurement process.

On the DCCAE website, the High Speed Broadband Map gives details about broadband availability to your premises. It illustrates where a premise resides within the NBP interactive mapping zones and offers information and relevant advice based on your premise’s location. See the Frequently Asked Questions and NBP Information Leaflets for more useful information.

Your Council's Role


Waterford City and County Council are committed to the NBP process and the build out of all required telecommunication infrastructure. In Waterford over 16,000 premises are cover by the State Aid intervention area. This accounts for 27% of overall premises in Waterford. Eir Have committed to delivering fibre Broadband through their 300K project (eir 300k Roll-out) to another 1300 premises by mid-2019.

To assist the national roll-out of the NBP, local authorities have been requested by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to appoint a Broadband Development Officer for their respective areas. Waterford’s Broadband Development Officer has two major areas for action:

  • To facilitate the successful roll-out of the National Broadband Plan in their respective counties by acting as a single point of contact for the successful NBP contractor(s) and telecommunications companies generally
  • To develop and implement a digital strategy to encourage take up of high-speed connectivity amongst all sectors of the population, including the creation of awareness of and the stimulation of demand for broadband services

Waterford’s Broadband Development Officer will work as part of a team within a wider response by the Council in supporting and developing this key piece of infrastructure, for both economic and community development in the county.

News on the NBP (e.g. regarding road closures, NBP build-out in your local area, broadband preparation work at home and other advice) and Waterford’s Digital Strategy will be updated regularly on this website and Waterford City and County Council’s social media channels.

Contact the Broadband Officer