Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The undertakings were given and announced by private operators in the commercial sector. I agree with the Deputy that when undertakings are given and plans laid out, it is unsatisfactory if they are not completed within the timescale indicated. As he is aware, what we have done is map the country between the commercial sector and where there has been State intervention and the test in the case of the commercial sector is whether it will be provided by 2016. This concerns the national broadband plan in general. We have carefully examined and scrutinised everything sent to us by the private operators which have stated they will do certain things. We look into, examine and scrutinise their plans and come to a conclusion on whether the works they state they will undertake will, in fact, be completed by the end of 2016. That is the basis on which we determine the State's intervention and what reasonably can be concluded as being in the private sector. It must be remembered that this process concerns the private sector. Those involved are private operators and we do not have the power to direct them. However, we have the power to scrutinise what they state to us and not take everything we are told at face value. We look into what they tell us as best we can and try to ensure the State's intervention is accurate and that the blue part of the map covered by the commercial sector is also accurate. I will be making final announcements before Christmas.