Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is not a credible explanation, to be frank.

We are talking about the last remaining bidder for an enormously costly contract. The Minister of State, Deputy Pat Breen, was asked to set up a meeting with the key Minister, the key decision-maker. This cannot be flippantly brushed aside as the Minister of State having passed on an invitation and - hey presto - the Minister having accepted it and the Minister of State having facilitated the meeting. It is a little more serious and should be taken more seriously than that.

I related to the Taoiseach the article of 2017. I will read what the memo stated: "The level of subsidy bidders might seek for the reduced intervention area [that is, after Eir has got the 300,000] could increase by between 10pc and 15pc if an incremental cost is applied to infrastructure access, and by more than 60pc if the existing regulated price for pole and duct access is applied". The remaining bidder, therefore, has a real skin in this game in getting this over the line in the ultimate negotiations with the Government.

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