David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I get that. The lack of commercial business case is what I was getting at. It goes back to the argument, which some might say is ideological, that the State has to intervene to ensure something is available when it is not commercially viable, but that it is necessary in the interests of the State that it be provided.

Ms Lennon referred to the NBP. It has been problematic, to say the least. Someone living in a rural area might hear a service provider say that it is not commercially viable for it to make the investments but that there is an NBP that will resolve their problem. So far it has not resolved their problem and it has been dogged with difficulties. I raised this with BT earlier. Notwithstanding any changes in the structure of the company which have made it almost unrecognisable from when it first drew up its bid, one problem that has been raised is that the initial plan was for 840,000 customers. Eir made a pitch for 300,000 of them.