Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is correct regarding how much money is currently profiled for this in the NDP. Under it, I acknowledge that depending on the decision the Government makes, the amount that might be needed for the national broadband plan could increase. We have to make a decision in that respect in the coming period.

If additional funding is put in to fund the NBP, it can come from two different areas. Assuming that we do not increase our level of taxation or borrow more to pay for existing infrastructural commitments, there are two options open to Government. The first is that we could make a decision to put additional funding into the national broadband plan and the national development plan. That would clearly have an opportunity cost and there would be other measures for which that money could not be used. Equally, a decision could be made to move capital around within the NDP to make additional commitments available for broadband.

All of this is premature at this point because, as the Deputy has acknowledged, both the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and my own Department have further work to do as part of the procurement process. On the Deputy's final question about the EIB, I believe it is fully committed to this plan but any additional funding it might need to put into this is a matter for the bank and I cannot speak on its behalf.

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