Mr. Fergal Mulligan:

It was always envisaged from 2015, when the initial intervention strategy was published, that this rural intervention would ensure that there was parity of prices across the entire country. In Dublin, Cork and Donegal, the average broadband rental price is approximately €50. What we have seen on the NBP is that, with 45 retail providers, there is a lot of competition and the entry price is approximately €30 for broadband. Then, a year later, it might go up to €40 or €50. The entry price point is very affordable from that perspective and people are getting a great deal because there is lots of competition.

The entry connection charge is €100. We have ensured that under the contract that is affordable regardless of the cost of connecting. Back to the cost of connecting, where there is remedial work of someone's duct in the garden or they need a new pole in the garden, that is funded through the connection subsidy regime under this contract. This ensures that when anyone else makes an order, he or she will definitely get connected. That is a challenge for the commercial sector because in the commercial sector sometimes the business case is not there to connect that home or business where there is a lot of remedial work to be done inside the wall of the house. The national broadband plan area is making sure it is affordable.