Westmeath among first county completion milestones in national broadband plan

Westmeath will be one of three counties to reach the first completion milestone this June as part of the Government's National Broadband Plan.

Westmeath, Longford, and Kilkenny are expected to reach the completion of main build works milestone this summer.

There are 12,000 premises in Westmeath 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.

As the biggest investment in rural Ireland since rural electrification, Westmeath has received €46m of Government investment under the National Broadband Plan.

TJ Malone, Chief Executive Officer of National Broadband Ireland, said: “At NBI, we are proud of the progress we have made in delivering the National Broadband Plan, one of the most significant infrastructure projects ever undertaken in the State, and we’re equally proud of the fact that this project is being delivered on time and on budget.

“We are now firmly in the final phase of the main build, with substantial completion in sight by the end of 2026 and Westmeath amongst the first counties to reach this milestone this summer. Each connection we make is a step toward closing the digital divide and ensuring every community in Ireland can fully participate in the digital economy.”

As part of the final delivery approach, NBI will maintain a clear cadence of rollout milestones on a county-by-county basis throughout the remainder of 2026, providing greater visibility for communities awaiting connection.

The impact of the NBP is already being felt across rural Ireland. TJ Malone, Chief Executive Officer, National Broadband Ireland, continued: “With the national switch-off of the copper network approaching, NBI’s fibre network is ensuring communities across Ireland are prepared for the future by supporting remote working, education, healthcare access, and local enterprise, while providing the reliability needed for everyday living.

“As we enter the final stages of the National Broadband Plan rollout, we’re encouraging everyone to check their Eircode on nbi.ie and order now to secure high-speed fibre broadband for their home or business.”