Mr. Ciarán Ó hÓbáin:

I can start off. The first question was about the 500 m and the technical solutions. We can give you an answer in terms of the potential technical solution, rather than saying that is a solution that can be applied to a set of circumstances in the national broadband plan. The Senator makes a good comment on the communications on surveys. We want to see areas being surveyed early and designs being developed because that gives us the confidence that when National Broadband Ireland is ready to move to the next stage, which involves making the network ready; tree trimming; unblocking ducts; putting up new poles and laying fibre, all of that preparatory work is done. It is the case because of the volume of surveys which have been carried out to date that surveys have been carried out for premises that will not be connected for a couple of years. The communications around that is certainly something we can take away and look at.

At a general level in terms of those areas which are 500 m from fibre broadband, if one brings it back from 500 m, some areas which are adjacent to commercial premises will fall into the category of being part of the NBI build. It is where the two networks will meet, but some of them will likely be a part of what National Broadband Ireland is considering. It has to deliver the full solution to the contract. It has gone to a tender and engaged with commercial operators on where they could potentially help. Some of that might come into that conversation. As for the task force, we can all speak on that issue and I may come back to it later in any event.

Dr. O'Connor will deal with the general point on BCPs. Mr. Neary will speak about the more technical solution.