Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We will note and publish the correspondence.

The next item of correspondence is No. 1222 B, from Mr. Mark Griffin, Secretary General, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, dated 29 April. It provides information requested by the committee regarding National Broadband Ireland's 2022 updated interim remedial plan. The plan confirms a target of 102,000 premises passed by the end of contract year three, which is 31 January 2023. The Secretary General states that "under the contract, National Broadband Ireland is entitled to claim relief against its contractual obligations in circumstances where delays are due to circumstances beyond its control (such as the global pandemic)". The national broadband plan is approximately 12 months behind schedule, eight and a half of which are accepted by the Department, as Members will note in the correspondence, as beyond NBI's control. It appears that sanctions will apply in respect of the other three and a half months. It is proposed to note and publish this item of correspondence. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I raised this over lunch break, when we had the opportunity to raise it with the Taoiseach. It was not to get in before I said it at this meeting, but I pointed out to him and the officials from his Department the fact that at least three and a half months are not accepted as within NBI's control. It is important a penalty is levied for that. The Taoiseach committed to speaking to the Minister about it. One of the reasons given in the correspondence relates to blocked ducts. It can be expected when starting to push cables through existing duct that there will be problems and glitches. Covid has been overplayed as a reason, as I have mentioned before. In the first quarter of last year, 2021, NBI was on the ground working, as far as I could see. If it was not, it should have been. While progress would have slowed, there was a certain amount of work NBI could do. It is important that we keep on with that and that, along with raising the matter with the Taoiseach, the committee writes back to the Department asking it to clarify if a penalty is now being levied for those three and a half months. On page 3 of the correspondence it states, "While these are addressed by the ... [updated interim remedial plan], sanctions are accruing against non-delivery of those Milestones." That is what it says about non-delivery. We should question that. Deputy Carthy, do you want to come in briefly on this?