Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

First, it is important to distinguish between two elements. On the commercial broadband delivery front, we have dramatically expanded the availability. It has gone, even since this Government's creation, from 50% up to 75%. That is entirely commercial. Those commercial outreaches still leave amber areas quite close to what is being delivered commercially but they remain the subject of the question of Deputy Dooley, which is the national broadband plan which is to deliver in the amber regions to more than 500,000 premises, both business and residential.

A final tender after a lengthy process has been delivered to the Department in mid-September. The evaluation of that is ongoing. As the Taoiseach referred to earlier, there is also an audit by Mr. Peter Smyth on the process. Both of those processes are at an advanced stage. We are close to a point where it will be possible to bring to Government proposals for decision one way or the other.

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