Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Two companies pulled out in 2017. After that the Department drew up two contingency plans. I want to move on to that. In his opening statement, Mr. Ó hÓbáin pointed out that the Department investigated the need for a plan B. The Department published two contingency reports, one in 2018 and another in 2019. Both reports concluded there were viable State-led alternatives that could deliver high-speed broadband in rural Ireland. Will Mr. Ó hÓbáin outline to the committee the strengths of each of those State-led alternatives that the Department concluded were viable?

The Department officials referenced the contingency report. Page 111 of the 2019 document states that a significantly more robust and thorough analysis would be required before the preferred plan B approach could be confirmed. Will the Department officials tell the committee whether this thorough analysis was ever carried out or whether a cost-benefit analysis was commissioned by the Department on the plan B options? If that did not happen, why did it not happen?