Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have just two other questions because I do not want to delay the meeting. In the past couple of weeks, I have been told the cost is now in the region of €5 billion. Dr. Yardley confirmed what I have been told I was wrong about for the past two years and three months, namely, that the hiving off in respect of the 300,000 easiest-to-reach households has materially affected the process and has had a great economic impact on it. I thank Dr. Yardley for this information. He is aware that since the other two credible operators have pulled out — Eir and ESB-Vodafone, called SIRO – what I have described is what happened. It was obvious it was going to happen at the time. My view was certainly contradicted and I was told I was wrong and wide of the mark. I do not get any pleasure out of saying that it now seems I was correct, as clarified by Dr. Yardley today. I take on board all the points made in the past five or ten minutes in this regard.

I have just one question. Eir is being given €900 million or €1 billion - the amount sometimes changes - for the use of infrastructure, part of which is in very bad condition, as is very obvious when driving around the country. Since Eir was privatised, there has been little investment in parts of the infrastructure. Some of the poles have fallen over. Some of the poles, if they have been hit by cars or other vehicles, are broken and held up only by the cables. I do not know with the underground infrastructure is like. I am told by some individuals working in the industry that nothing has been done with it since the mid-1990s or late 1990s and that it is in bad condition. On the other hand, the ESB network is in better condition and has to be because it is carrying live electricity wires. Traditionally, it has been kept very well and has been well maintained. Electricity goes to every house except the houses of very few who, for whatever reason, do not have electricity. One could count them on one hand in any county. I am only aware of two or three people who do not have electricity in my county.

Why is Eir being handed the amount of money in question? It represents a huge slice of the subsidy. It is one third of the overall subsidy, at least. It is almost €1 billion of taxpayers' money for permission to use infrastructure that is in bad condition and that will incur a charge year on year throughout the term of the 25-year contract while the ESB network is in place and is ready to use. The ESB is already using that network to carry telecommunications fibre. In other countries, the same infrastructure is used for electricity and telecommunications cabling. Does Mr. Yardley believes this make sense here? Is it possible?