Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Government's handling of the national broadband plan is a story of incompetence and secrecy. In 2011, the Government promised to deliver fibre to 90% of homes and businesses within four years. Seven years later, the contract has not been signed. Last year, one of the bidders pulled out. Another bidder, Eir, said at that time that it would do the profitable bits of the business in a manner that involved cherry-picking at a house-by-house level. The last time Eir became a privately-owned monopoly, the Irish Examinerreported that: "the group racked up €4.1 billion of debt amid five ownership changes before it was forced into the State’s largest-ever examinership", and pointed out that the company has had many owners who have: "asset stripped with abandon". The same article suggested that Eir's: "broadband service [...] was - and often still is - hopelessly inadequate despite being among the most expensive in Europe".

The Government has said that Eir's proposed cherry-picked new monopoly is great news. When Eir pulled out of what was left of the bid after it had hollowed it out, which meant that the Government was down to one bidder, the Government said it was great news that this had happened. The remaining bidder, Enet, already operates a fibre network for the State under a concession agreement. When Mr. Gavin Sheridan submitted a freedom of information request in search of that agreement, the Department said "No". When the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner said the agreement should be made available, the Department said "No". When the High Court said the agreement should be provided, the Department said "No". The Government is now bringing the matter to the Court of Appeal. What is the Government so desperate to hide in its existing agreement with the last remaining bidder, Enet? Fianna Fáil wants a quick independent review of what has happened to date, but the Government has said "No" on the basis that this would cause a delay. It has delayed for seven years, but God forbid that there would be a quick review of what has happened. If this Government really has nothing to hide, believes it has done a good job in this area and wants to make sure the Irish people are not screwed on broadband prices for the next 25 years, it should do the right thing and commission a short review, just as Deputy Dooley and his Fianna Fáil colleagues are asking for.

See this speech in context