Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his question. The national broadband plan, NBP, is ambitious, with the objective of ensuring that access to a high speed broadband service is available to every premises in Ireland. Realising this objective will significantly enhance Ireland’s standing as a leading EU digital economy.

Bidders wishing to participate in the ongoing NBP procurement process had to pre-qualify in order to participate in that process. Only those bidders that could demonstrate they had the necessary economic and financial standing, together with the required technical and professional capability, were allowed to participate in the procurement. A single bidder scenario does not change this and the remaining bidding consortium has had to meet the relevant thresholds set out for the procurement process.

Up until the point where the procurement was about to enter its finals stages, there was a competitive process. Through the engagement with multiple bidders the NBP procurement team has had clear sight of the likely costs and revenues associated with delivering the high-speed broadband network in the intervention area. The NBP contract includes comprehensive governance provisions to ensure tight management of the build and operating costs.

The procurement process is now in its final stages and the bidder’s submission of a final tender will include its proposed technical solution and deployment plan.

I am pleased to inform the Dáil and, more importantly, the 540,000 families and businesses across rural Ireland who are awaiting high-speed broadband that today marks an historic milestone in the Government's national procurement of the broadband plan. Earlier today, the remaining bidder in the national broadband plan procurement process submitted its final tender to my Department. Over the coming weeks the Department's procurement team will evaluate that submission that was received earlier today. I look forward to receiving the output from that particular evaluation.

The NBP procurement process is unique in terms of its level of ambition and vision. Its focus is to ensure a future-proofed, technical solution that will allow this generation and future generations to participate fully in digital society. Due to the significance and scale of the project to deliver high-speed broadband to every single premises in Ireland regardless of location, the procurement process has been, by necessity, complex and thorough. As the evaluation process is now under way, I cannot comment further. Suffice it to say, that today is a landmark date.

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