Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Does the Minister still believe he will be able to run fibre to every home? We know that the 2020 target is unrealistic. As he knows, Enet runs the State's metropolitan area networks, MANs, systems, therefore, the State and Enet have been working together. The MANs contract for Enet was extended out to 2030. It has that contract, which was not subject to tender. The Minister has the power to tender that contract. The MANs were established for social, economic, regional and good reasons and we have no problem with that. What review was made with regard to pricing in the extension of that agreement? Has a report on this been published for and subsequently by the Minister? The pricing of these wholesale systems will affect homes and businesses in towns such as Portlaoise, Tullamore and others where the MANs systems are rolled out. I want the Minister to address that issue because the MANs systems are key to the future of broadband in rural and regional areas, and particularly in the 90 towns that have those systems.

Another issue, on which I have not been able to get an answer from the Minister, is in regard to the cost of this contract. He has quoted commercial sensitivity but it is as if the taxpayers are to keep their eyes shut while all this is happening.

The Minister will have a pen in his hand writing a cheque for this fairly soon and we have no idea what it will cost. This cannot be nailed down and we cannot even get a price range. It is estimated to be nearly €2 billion for the overall contract. How much of that is a State subsidy?

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