Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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I concur with Deputy Cullinane's views. It is good to see this happen and nice to know that not everybody sings from the one hymn sheet. It is also good to see one line Department challenging another. That is useful and it is good that this information has been published. The correspondence is very important and if there is further correspondence from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment that was not issued, we will want to see it as it will help to inform our consideration.

In case people ask why is the committee which normally looks back looking for a contract, the reason is that significant expenditure has been incurred on this project in recent years. Therefore, the national broadband plan, the cost of tendering, the cost of consultants, the cost benefit analysis, the first draft of the plan and the revised draft when the European Union forced the Government to remove the 300,000 houses Eir stated it would cover have had implications in terms of further expenditure. We are looking at the expenditure that has been incurred to date and want to see whether what has been done to date will result in the achievement of value for money. Obviously, that will have implications for future expenditure. We are absolutely acting within our remit in looking at all expenditure incurred in previous years lest anybody doubts why we are doing so.