Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 12 June 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment

National Broadband Plan: Discussion (Resumed)

Photo of Brian StanleyBrian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome the representatives of Analysys Mason and thank them for attending. Obviously, cost played a crucial role in the procurement process. Analysys Mason is the technical adviser to the Department. What are the key factors in terms of the cost that must be borne by the taxpayer escalating from €800 million to €2.95 billion? That is one of the major questions around this project. In 2015, the figure of €800 million was pencilled in and circulated by those working on the project. It is significant that there has been a 350% increase in a little more than three years. The equivalent in terms of building a house would be for a house currently costing €200,000 to build costing €650,000 to build in three years' time.

Will I go through each of my questions?