Ms Carolan Lennon:

The Department created its first intervention map based on its analysis or view that it was not commercially viable. It then contacted all of the operators and asked them if they could make a commercial case and if they had plans in that regard. My understanding is a number of operators came back to it, not just Eir, but in the end we made the bid. We had the machinery, having finished one network build, and wanted to keep it going. We also had a commercial case.