Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I appreciate the Deputy's acknowledgment that fibre is the appropriate technological choice. He is correct. Various participants in the bidding process decided what the right technology was. With regard to the upside sitting with the company, it will do so if the technology still has economic value in the future. All the downsides will also sit with it, however. Regarding the risks, the alternative that could be proposed here is that all the risks would be on the State balance sheet, were we to go down the route of owning the infrastructure. I refer to all the costs of renewing and maintaining the network and dealing with all the things that could happen when expanding a broadband network across 83% of our country. Given that we do not own the current broadband network, why should we seek to own what some would describe as being potentially a stranded asset?

At the end of this process, the option is available for the State to acquire the infrastructure. At each point, if the return goes above a certain level, the State will have the ability to access 60% of it. If the return goes above the aforesaid level, the figure becomes 100%. If the project becomes riskier than we believe it is, the risk will sit with the consortium once the contingent subsidies are used.