John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

All the issues raised by Deputy Durkan were addressed in the Ox report and have been considered by the Minister. There is nothing secretive about the report. In it Ox Auction Experts examined four different tools which could be used to generate a financial return to the State. These were auctions, which is a mechanism to assign a licence to the highest bidder; market-based spectrum fees or royalties; clawback arrangements, a method used to ensure that a portion of any windfall profits earned as a result of spectrum ownership are shared with the Exchequer; or a combination of these mechanisms. All these issues have been put forward and are being considered by the Minister. He has not made a final decision but all of these mechanisms are up for consideration.

See this speech in context