Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

In the mid-term Estimates we are looking back somewhat into this year. What the Deputy is discussing is, in a sense, part of the budget discussions for next year and they have not concluded yet. Our bilateral discussion with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, has yet to happen. It will happen in the next few days. We will look for the resources we will need to truncate the seven-year plan to a five years. That is one element of it. The Deputy has put his finger on the key areas we need to work within. My sense of what has happened this year, especially with local authorities, is that instead of ironing out some of those teething problems, local authorities have really helped. It varies but local authorities have helped with some of the technical stuff, even around getting the poles in place and the wires through.

Eir is also a critical part of that. There are both challenges and opportunities. The challenges include the fact that some of the ducting used is not as clear or easy to use as had been hoped but, on the other hand, my sense from talking to Eir and listening to the project team is that there has been real co-operation and a willingness to accelerate.

The point the Deputy made about counties in particular areas that are towards the latter end of the process is a very good one. The Department is specifically looking at other mechanisms where we would not leave them, in a sense, to the last. It is looking at other mechanisms whereby we can overcome the characteristic geography or topography of an area, which is why those counties, in particular, are coming in later. My recollection is the Department is specifically looking at whether there are mechanisms whereby we can mix that up a bit. That has not concluded but it is in train.