It could take until 2023 for National Broadband Plan to catch up with targets

Minister says a number of challenges during the first two years of rollout have delayed progress

Eamon Ryan said the difficulties encountered by NBI to date included poor access to ducting, challenges around obtaining licences from local authorities for works that were being carried out and delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Picture: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

The National Broadband Plan may not be back on track and achieving its initial targets until 2023, the Minister for Communications has said.

Eamon Ryan, the Green Party leader, said the multi-billion-euro rural broadband scheme had encountered a number of challenges in the first two years of its rollout which had delayed its progress.

National Broadband Ireland, the company established to deliver the plan, had initially planned to pass 115,000 homes and businesses this year, ...