Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 26 June 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment

National Broadband Plan: Discussion (Resumed)

Mr. Denis O'Leary:

I am not sure exactly what the actual question is. We stopped looking at this two years ago. So much has happened in two years. The technology has changed in two years. There have been considerable developments with 5G in that period. There are changes to the regulatory structure, the state aid structure and the structure of any contract. The question of the risk-reward parameters involving the Department and the bidders must also be borne in mind. Earlier we discussed ESB's existing workload. The priority in ESB at present is to deliver on its Brighter Future strategy and support the Government in the delivery of its climate action plan. We would have to do a lot of thinking before we could consider any of the matters raised.