Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The question I asked was about the viability of the current tendering process, the expected date for the signing of the tender agreement and the expected completion date of the national broadband plan.

The Minister said the process is unique. I would not say that, it has turned out to be a real dog's dinner. The big players have pulled out, namely, Eir, the ESB and SIRO, and the consortium led by David McCourt has seen SSE Airtricity leave. The John Laing Group, which was one of the companies providing the cash and firepower, is gone. Enet has been relegated to the role of a subcontractor. The Minister said the consortium has been joined by Denis O'Brien, but his company is now going to become a contractor, which is different. The Granahan McCourt consortium will also have Enet, Nokia, and Actavo, which is a Denis O'Brien company, the Kelly Group and the KN Group as contractors. The consortium has changed significantly. One company remains within it, while the others are gone. Enet is relegated to the role of a contractor. I understand the State is set to buy the remaining 28% share in the company. The State, which now owns Enet, is becoming a subcontractor to a private venture capitalist firm from America but the State will bankroll the project and, essentially, become an employee of an American capitalist company. That is what is happening here.

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