Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am nearly there. Regarding the idea that we should get the asset after 35 years, I will ask two questions. What will the asset be after 35 years? I understand that our guests cannot account for technological advances in the interim, but what is the projection based on our current knowledge? What will happen in the lacuna between 25 and 35 years? If I understand it correctly, the contract lasts for 25 years. The Department seems to be looking towards a 35-year period and tightening it to 25 years.

Will our guests comment on a certain popular belief? It kept being raised in responses on my social media pages when, as we people do, I put up a standard message welcoming the plan. I was asked why we were not opting for 5G. People watching this broadcast and who follow this issue will have at the back of their minds the belief that 5G would do the business. Our guests know otherwise, but I would like them to elaborate for the sake of those who have doubts.

Why the ESB is not used is another classic question that arises. Will our guests explain the reasons for that? The idea of using the ESB has a certain traction in the public's consciousness. People relate to it as an entity and have confidence therein. They are asking why it is not the delivery vehicle. It would have to go through a similar process, of course.

Will our guests also explain the graduated nature of the payment? Taxpayers have the perception that someone will hand a cheque for €3 billion to Mr. McCourt next September and that we will depend on his goodwill and competence thereafter. What will the relationship between the work done and payment be and what are the projected payments over the period? Paying X amount over so many years is a different proposition than making a down payment of so much. Will there be a return over the period? My colleague referred to the non-established benefits that will accrue as we go along, for example, taking commuters off the road and letting them work from home in dispersed areas instead of having them seek accommodation in Dublin. My question is about the graduated payments.

There is a procurement process, but is the Department satisfied with NBI's technical competencies as well as its financial ones?

Why is it a seven-year period? It seems long. If I understand what they said correctly, our guests are suggesting that 134,000 premises will be completed in the first year.