The Gigabit Infrastructure Act (GIA) began as an EU-wide effort to reduce the cost of deploying Very High Capacity Networks (VHCNs), such as Fibre-To-The-Home (FTTH). It replaced the Broadband Cost Reduction Directive (BCRD) of 2014 and was formalised as Regulation (EU) 2024/1309, entering into force on May 11, 2024. The GIA sets out measures to streamline infrastructure sharing, coordinate civil works, and digitalise permitting processes to accelerate broadband rollouts across the EU.
Member states, including Ireland, must ensure compliance with its provisions within 18 to 24 months, with the key deadline for full implementation by May 2026. The GIA directly applies across the EU, but national legislation is required to address specific elements, such as access rights and exemptions.
The GIA Steering Group (GIASG) in Ireland, was established to coordinate and oversee the implementation of the Gigabit Infrastructure Act (GIA). Its primary role is to engage key stakeholders—including telecom operators, public sector bodies, local authorities, and regulators like ComReg—to ensure compliance with the GIA by its key deadlines in 2025 and 2026.
The Gigabit Infrastructure Act (GIA) presents both significant opportunities and challenges for Ireland's telecommunications landscape, as it aims to reduce the costs and improve the efficiency of deploying Very High Capacity Networks (VHCNs), including full-fibre networks.
Some of the key challenges facing the work of the GIASG over the next few months include:
1. Legislative and Regulatory Adaptation:
Implementing the GIA requires significant adaptation of Ireland's legislative and regulatory frameworks to align with the Act's requirements. The need for new national legislation to integrate the GIA’s provisions poses challenges, as it requires inter-agency coordination and the alignment of multiple sectors (telecoms, housing, public works).
2. Ensuring Stakeholder Compliance:
With various stakeholders involved, such as telecoms operators, local authorities, and infrastructure owners, there is a need for clear coordination and compliance. The GIA necessitates the creation of the GIASG to monitor progress and resolve issues, which can be complex due to the diversity of interests.
3. Physical Infrastructure Gaps:
One of the challenges is identifying and addressing gaps in the availability and quality of physical infrastructure, especially in urban and less-developed areas. While the GIA promotes the use of existing infrastructure, some areas may lack the necessary assets or face having to make available unremediated damaged or decaying assets, requiring consideration of new investments and coordination.
4. Harmonisation of Permit and Rights of Way Procedures:
Discrepancies between local authorities regarding rules, including on reinstatement obligations can create obstacles especially in the last few metres into the home. Harmonising these processes across the country, as required by the GIA, will require significant administrative changes, coordination, and potential legislative updates.
5. Capacity and Resource Constraints:
The implementation of the GIA will place additional resource demands on public bodies and operators, particularly in terms of managing and updating Single Information Points (SIPs). This could strain the capacity of local authorities and regulatory bodies like ComReg although the work and preparation of the GIASG is likely to mitigate this.
6. Stakeholder Buy-in and Coordination:
Ensuring that all stakeholders, including access seekers (operators) and access providers (infrastructure owners), are fully engaged in the process is crucial but can be challenging. Coordination on civil works and infrastructure sharing often involves navigating conflicting interests, the approach to which needs careful consideration and chaperoning along the journey.
Conclusion
The GIA represents a transformative opportunity for Ireland to expand its digital infrastructure, especially for the deployment of fibre networks, and to meet its national digital connectivity goals. However, it also brings complex challenges related to regulatory adaptation, stakeholder coordination, and ensuring compliance across multiple sectors. Success will depend on efficient management of these factors and the capacity to address legislative, technical, and administrative bottlenecks. The Department of Communications has experience in managing large scale communications projects such as MANs and NBI. Those projects set expectations high for the success of this project too.
A key topic discussed was the importance of increasing awareness of the availability of fibre-to-the-premise broadband (full fibre) amongst Westmeath businesses. In Westmeath, as is also the case nationally, there remains a low awareness of amongst businesses of fibre access in their area.
Equally, greater information on what are the benefits fibre broadband can deliver for businesses relative to older forms of broadband is also required. Low adoption rates by businesses means that businesses risk missing the opportunity to enhance their operations through a faster and more reliable connection, according to SIRO.
The issue of copper switch off was also considered at the meeting. In December 2023, Ireland’s telecoms regulator, Comreg, approved the conditions for how the process of switching off the outdated copper broadband network can proceed.
The need for Westmeath businesses to avoid a cliff edge scenario by switching to faster, more reliable fibre broadband was emphasised. This includes upgrading business devices currently dependant on copper broadband such as security alarms, CCTV, lifts, payment terminals and landlines, amongst others.
SIRO’s Director of Corporate Affairs Amanda Glancy, commented:
Pictured at Killarney Innovation Centre from left: Sean Counihan, Chair of Killarney Innovation Centre, Ronan Whelan, Chief Commercial Officer, SIRO, Minister for Education Norma Foley TD and Chris Stagg, Consumer Director, Vodafone Ireland. Photo: Pauline Dennigan[/caption]
Since its establishment in the late 1990s, the Killarney Innovation Centre has been a cornerstone of Munster’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Housing a diverse array of companies—ranging from financial treasury solutions and software development to sports statistical analysis and health & safety consultancy—the Centre has become a pivotal hub for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and innovation in the area. Over the past two decades, more than 120 businesses have found a home within its walls, collectively creating thousands of jobs, stimulating local supply chains, and significantly contributing to the local economy.
The Killarney Innovation Centre joins over 20 leading digital hubs across Ireland, including Galway’s PorterShed, Skibbereen’s Ludgate Hub, and Dundalk’s Creative Spark, in benefiting from Vodafone-SIRO’s Gigabit Hub initiative.
By joining the Gigabit Hub initiative, the Centre will now provide its residents with access to Gigabit full fibre broadband, ensuring they have the state-of-the-art connectivity needed to excel in today’s digital economy.
As a not-for-profit organisation, the Killarney Innovation Centre has consistently offered a nurturing environment for start-ups, SMEs, and established businesses. With high-quality facilities, including flexible office spaces, co-working areas, and modern meeting rooms, the Centre has played a crucial role in driving economic development and job creation in the region.
Integrating SIRO’s Gigabit broadband will greatly enhance the Centre’s capabilities, offering unparalleled internet speeds that support advanced technological applications such as AI, Big Data, or Cloud computing, and seamless global communication. This upgrade will attract more start-ups and established businesses to Killarney, further stimulating economic growth and innovation.
As the business landscape evolves, the Killarney Innovation Centre remains dedicated to expanding and adapting its services. Future plans include a significant expansion of the hub’s size, advanced co-working spaces, and additional meeting and conference rooms equipped with the latest audiovisual technology.
Minister for Education Norma Foley TD speaking at the launch event noted:
MERITS also extends its impact to the broader community through initiatives like the Coder Dojo program and the CREAtech School project. The weekly Coder Dojo club engages children aged 7-17 in learning to code, build websites, and create games or apps in a safe, creative, and social environment. The CREAtech School pilot project, conducted in collaboration with the Kildare County Council Arts Department, introduces 6th class students to the latest creative technologies, including podcast recording, virtual reality, and augmented reality.
MERITS also partners with the Local Enterprise Office to offer a wide range of support services to founders and entrepreneurs. These include accelerator and development programs, mentor services, funding opportunities, and numerous networking events.
Joining the Gigabit Hub Initiative will enhance MERITS' capabilities, providing ultrafast broadband and cutting-edge digital infrastructure to its community of innovators. This integration will facilitate seamless collaboration, rapid prototyping, and the efficient scaling of digital solutions, propelling the Midlands-East’s digital economy forward.
Welcoming the partnership, Sonya Kavanagh, Chief Executive, Kildare County Council said;
The Pollinator Project aims to raise awareness amongst school children of the important role of pollinators such as bees, butterflies, moths and hoverflies in the pollination of flowers and supporting food systems. Free nature kits and workshops are provided by Biodiversity in Schools to give teachers and students resources to increase their knowledge of pollinators and how to support them.
Survey results:
Director of Biodiversity in Schools, Mark Nolan stated:
To date, over 560,000 premises in 135 towns across the country can access the SIRO network. The company is investing more than €1 billion in delivering high speed, future-proofed broadband across Ireland.
SIRO is a broadband wholesaler, which means that it designs, builds and maintains its full fibre broadband network. Homes and businesses can then order its services from over 20 retailers such as Virgin Media, Vodafone, Sky, Digiweb, Pure Telecom, Blacknight and many more.
SIRO John Keaney Chief Executive Officer, said:
The roll-out of a full fibre broadband network in Newcastle West is part of SIRO’s ongoing network expansion, targeting more than 700,000 premises in towns and cities across Ireland by 2026.
To date, over 560,000 premises in 135 towns across the country can access the SIRO network. The company is investing more than €1 billion in delivering high speed, future-proofed broadband across Ireland.
SIRO is a broadband wholesaler, which means that it designs, builds and maintains its full fibre broadband network. Homes and businesses can then order its services from over 20 retailers such as Virgin Media, Vodafone, Sky, Digiweb, Pure Telecom, Ivertec, Blacknight and many more. All details can be found on 
Pictured at the announcement of the SIRO network expansion into Claremorris where over 1,500 homes and businesses will have access to full fibre broadband are Joanne Grehan, Director of Services at Mayo County Council and Amanda Glancy, SIRO with elected members of Mayo County Council Claremorris and Swinford Municipal District. Over 8,700 premises across county Mayo will enjoy fibre connectivity upon completion of this expansion. Photo: Alison Laredo[/caption]
Areas in Claremorris which will benefit from the roll out include (but are not limited to): Claremont, Lisnaboley, Clare, Carrowbeg East, and Mayfields.
SIRO first rolled out to Castlebar in 2017, reaching over 3,000 premises in the town. Since then, SIRO has been steadily rolling out its network across the county. In Westport and Ballina over 2,100 premises respectively can access SIRO’s network. This means 7,200 premises can already access SIRO’s network in Mayo.
Once Claremorris is complete , SIRO’s network will be available to over 8,700 premises across the county, providing speeds of up to two gigabits for homes and up to ten gigabits for enterprise.
The roll-out of a full fibre broadband network in Claremorris is part of SIRO’s ongoing network expansion, targeting more than 700,000 premises in towns and cities across Ireland by 2026. To date, over 550,000 premises in 135 towns across the country can access the SIRO network. SIRO is investing more than €1 billion in delivering high speed, future proofed broadband across Ireland.
Mayo County Council Director of Services Joanne Grehan noted: