Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Since my appointment I have been speaking frequently, almost every second day, with some of the senior officials dealing with the national broadband plan. I am on top of the project. We have an external procurement evaluation committee of outside expertise that has an overall supervisory role in respect of the overall project and in respect of the requests for any contracts. All contracts go through the current public procurement process and would be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The Secretary General of my Department is accountable to the Committee of Public Accounts in respect of the plan.

Let me explain what is involved. Technical expertise is required on technical issues and economic modelling. One of the consultant reports is on my desk and I am going through it with a finetooth comb. Members will be hearing more about that in the next few weeks. This expertise is a resource not just on the technical side, but helps me to make some of the decisions I must make on this project.

All the consultancy contracts are being awarded after going through the public procurement process. The information in online. There is a very stringent assessment done of what is required and there are specific terms and conditions in respect of what we require. We would not have this expertise in the technical area or in the economic modelling across the public sector. We have seconded staff from other Departments and agencies with expertise in this area. Some of the key staff on this project are not direct employees of the Department but have been seconded from other Departments and agencies to assist us with this project.