Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The national broadband plan aims to ensure every home, school, business and farm in Ireland, no matter how remote, will have access to high-speed broadband. Our ambition is for Ireland to become one of the first countries in the world to be able to do so. It is probably the most ambitious project for rural Ireland since the rural electrification scheme and will probably involve the biggest ever infrastructural investment in rural Ireland. It is a project of that scale, enormity and importance, which is why we have to get it right and we are absolutely determined to do so. It is not true to say there is no competitive tendering. There were many bidders and we are now down to one. Of course, we would much prefer it if there were more, but that is the way markets work. If there are more bidders, one will probably get a better price, but we are down to only one for many reasons. The Department will carry out due diligence to ensure the consortium is capable of delivering and getting the job done, which is the most important thing; to ensure we will get the best price possible, notwithstanding the fact that there is only one bidder still involved in the process; that the process is robust and fair; that we will learn from the mistakes of the past and be aware of the risk of legal challenges which, of course, everyone will want to avoid.

On broadband provision more generally, it is important to acknowledge the enormous progress made by the Government of Fine Gael and Independent Members since Deputy Denis Naughten became Minister. We have seen an expansion of access to high speed broadband across the country.

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