Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the representatives from Eir for coming before us this afternoon and for their full support for the roll-out of the national broadband plan. I acknowledge the very significant private sector investment in telecommunications over recent years. It is has been very important for the country. Eir has recognised that fibre is the best technology and that while a seven-year roll-out is challenging, it is achievable.

I listened to a podcast Ms Lennon did with the technology journalist, Adrian Weckler, about the national broadband plan. In that interview she stated that €3 billion sounded about right for the roll-out of the plan. Over the past 24 hours we have heard it stated in the media that this could be done for €1 billion. I would like to get some clarity about that figure and a breakdown of what it would mean. When the Department appeared before this committee in May, its representatives stated that it would cost approximately €1 billion to physically pass all premises. There is a distinction between physically passing premises and actually connecting them. What does Eir estimate it would cost to connect all homes? What does it estimate it would cost to maintain the network over the 25-year period? Is VAT included in that figure? Will Ms Lennon break down that figure of €1 billion?