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

It would be inappropriate for me to raise that with the committee. It would be a matter for Eir and I advised Mr. Richard Moat of the point that he should write to the committee about his concerns. He wrote to me but the matter is outside my remit. The Deputy might correct me as he was in the same role but I do not see it as appropriate for the Minister to write to the committee about something outside his remit. I advised Mr. Moat at the time that he should make direct contact and pass correspondence to the committee.

There has been some insinuation that there is a political decision being taken in respect of the figure of 300,000. I can categorically say there was no political decision taken on the matter. To put it very mildly, I was very hesitant about altering the map without clear black and white commitments from Eir, purely because I am a Deputy from a rural constituency and I have been for a number of years. I have had plenty of promises regarding broadband coming, as have all my rural colleagues, and I made my views quite clear to Eir. I will ask the procurement team to come back and speak about the procurement engagement and the areas mentioned by the Deputy. There was detailed engagement with the European Commission on this. The officials beside me engaged with the Commission and I will ask them to speak on that as well.

On access to infrastructure, the €20 per pole is the current regulated price for access to infrastructure. Normally, it is a three-year to five-year contract. The price is set for three to five years. We are entering into a contract over 25 years and we need to have guaranteed access over that time to the infrastructure and clarity on the pricing over 25 years. That has not been set but I proposed and got approval from the Government to bring forward infrastructure access legislation. It will come before the committee and the intention is that it will provide clarity on access.