Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Perhaps I am putting this incorrectly so we will take it carefully. We have the ultimate company that will do the work, then there is this holding company and then there are the shareholders. In the event that the broadband company does not perform and, as a result, develops a significant liability or requirement for investment, what guarantee does the State have that the shareholder will invest further share capital or make good any liabilities that are there? I am somewhat concerned that there is National Broadband Ireland, a holding company, Granahan McCourt (Dublin) Ireland, which in effect is another subsidiary of Granahan McCourt, and then we have Tetrad Corporation over here. Tetrad Corporation seems to be the company with the money and I want to understand what encumbrance is on Tetrad Corporation or whoever the money person ultimately is because it has changed along the way and it was McCourt Global LLC for a while. What instrument is used to retain Tetrad Corporation, if it is Tetrad Corporation, at the table over the protracted period of this contract? In essence, if there is further capital required, what encumbrance is placed on Tetrad Corporation and what legal instrument? Quite frankly, the contract is different. As I understand it, the contract is between the State, NBI and perhaps Granahan McCourt. I want to know what grip the Department has on the people with the money to put it in if it is needed.