Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 43 together.

My Department entered into a contract with "3", a Hutchison Whampoa company, for the delivery of the national broadband scheme, NBS, in December 2008. Within my Department, the implementation of the NBS is being overseen at senior management level by full-time civil servants at the grades of assistant secretary and principal officer. Responsibility for day-to-day project management and administration of the NBS rests with a team comprising of an assistant principal officer, a higher executive officer and a clerical officer. Additional specialist technical and legal resources are available to the project from within my Department, when required. The contract places onerous requirements on "3" in relation to programme delivery and compliance with technical and service level requirements. These are important features to ensure best return for the overall Exchequer investment in the scheme of €79.8 million. In these circumstances, it is necessary that the Department should have specialist outside assistance.

Accordingly, Analysys Mason Limited was engaged by my Department in January 2009 for a 28 month period to provide technical, financial and commercial advice, along with support to my officials in relation to project management and monitoring of the rollout and implementation of the NBS. As the network is rolled out and services are delivered in the NBS coverage area, Analysys Mason will assist in validating coverage achieved in individual electoral divisions and in monitoring the performance of the infrastructure, service availability, service delivery and quality, customer experience as well as overall compliance by "3" with contractual obligations.

To date, Analysys Mason Limited has provided ongoing advice in relation to a range of matters, including the establishment of project governance structures and reporting systems to underpin clear and effective monitoring of the roll-out of the NBS and performance delivery by "3". In addition, it has elaborated on processes within the NBS contract to verify broadband coverage and to validate service delivery and quality as well as the achievement of contractual obligations.

My Department also has available an individual resource with relevant ICT expertise who provides day-to-day administrative support in relation to NBS project management and implementation. Since the signature of the NBS contract, an amount of €67,845, excluding VAT, has been paid in respect of the advisory services outlined above.

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