National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, and Clare County Council have confirmed the completion of the main infrastructure build for the National Broadband Plan (NBP) in County Clare.

The achievement paves the way for widespread access to high-speed fibre broadband for households, farms, businesses and schools across previously underserved parts of the county.

With this phase now finished, Clare becomes the fifteenth county to reach the milestone, as the national programme enters its final stretch ahead of expected completion later this year.

The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport noted that: "Clare is renowned for its dramatic Atlantic coastline, the unique landscape of the Burren and a rich traditional music heritage, with tourism supporting livelihoods across its rural communities. With the main National Broadband Plan rollout complete, homes, farms, businesses and schools across the county now have access to the world-class digital connectivity they need to thrive.

"This €89 million Government investment means 24,000 premises across Clare can access the high-speed fibre broadband they need to work, learn, do business and stay connected.

"The infrastructure being delivered under the National Broadband Plan will support communities and businesses across the county for decades to come, helping Clare to remain connected, competitive, and ready for the opportunities of the future."

To mark the occasion, Clare County Council hosted a reception at Scariff Community & Enterprise Hub, with contributions from the Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Joe Killeen, Brefne Sweeney from the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, the Council's Chief Executive, Gordon Daly, and NBI Chairman, David McCourt.

Around 24,000 premises in Clare are included in the State's Intervention Area, where NBI is delivering minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second to homes, businesses, farms and schools. The rollout represents €89 million of Government investment locally, with more than 7,600 premises already connected. Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Joe Killeen, said: "This is great news for Clare, especially for people living in our rural communities. Having reliable, high-speed broadband means more opportunities to work from home, study or run a business without having to leave the place you call home. It also makes it easier to keep in touch with family and friends and access everyday services. We want people of all ages to feel confident using these services so that everyone can share in the benefits of a better-connected Clare."

Gordon Daly, Chief Executive, Clare County Council, said: "Bringing vacant properties back into use and enabling new homes must go hand in hand with the infrastructure that makes places attractive to live and work. High-speed broadband is an essential part of that picture, supporting enterprise, remote working and access to services. This milestone strengthens our capacity to create the conditions for investment, support sustainable communities and help our towns, villages and rural areas retain and attract people."

David McCourt, Chairman of National Broadband Ireland, said: "County Clare has been my home in Ireland for almost 30 years, so reaching this milestone is particularly meaningful to me. In fact, my own experience of struggling to get a reliable connection at my home here was one of the reasons I became so passionate about the National Broadband Plan.

"For me, this project has always been about much more than broadband. It's about ensuring that people living in rural communities have the same opportunities as those in our cities. It's about giving young people the choice to build their careers and futures in the places they call home and giving local businesses the tools to compete and thrive.

"The completion of the main rollout in Clare is an achievement we can all be proud of, and a testament to the hard work of everyone involved. But the real measure of success will be what people do with this infrastructure. We now have an extraordinary opportunity to help communities across Clare prosper for generations to come."

Nationally, the NBI network has now passed more than 542,000 premises — the full footprint envisaged when the contract was signed. A further 29,000 premises have since been added to the Intervention Area, meaning the programme is expected to serve about 566,000 premises in total. To date, over 197,000 premises have connected.

In many locations where the service has been available for longer, take-up already exceeds 60%, reflecting strong demand for reliable, future-proof fibre. Communities nationwide are using the network to support remote and hybrid working, online education, digital health, agri-tech, tourism and local enterprise.

As a wholesale operator, NBI provides its network to retail broadband providers rather than selling directly. Residents and businesses within the rollout area can check their Eircode on the NBI website to confirm availability, compare participating retailers and order a service through their chosen provider.