Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 10 February 2022

Public Accounts Committee

2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
National Broadband Plan Expenditure and Related Matters

9:30 am

Mr. Peter Hendrick:

The intervention area is not just about rural premises but any home that cannot get speeds of 30 Mbps. With regard to specific urban areas in which we may not have infrastructure when passing or where connection will be quite expensive, we have to consider value for money. As part of the request for proposals, RFP, we are running at the moment, a number of bidders have given us solutions. We will engage with them over the coming months and will look at practical solutions, including the use of alternative networks, products and services to connect those homes. It is really critical that we make sure that, once these premises are connected, there will not be another digital divide and that the service they get will meet demand for the next 25 years. Working with those suppliers is critical. We have a team dedicated to and focused on that work over the coming months.