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

This has been a very complex and ambitious programme. We are seeking to provide high-speed broadband to every premises in the country bar none. It will be 100% coverage and that involves over 500,000 premises. This has not been done by many other countries and it is an ambitious programme. I agree that the process has been complex. There was a competitive dialogue whereby anyone could come forward with whatever technology. We are now in the final stage of that. A final tender was submitted in September. That has to be carefully evaluated, apart from the subject matter we are intending to discuss later in the week. It has to be evaluated from the points of view of governance and value for money, all of the elements of which the Deputy would want to be assured. We are in the final stage of that process, which must come to a conclusion before we consider other options. It is important that we provide the time and opportunity for this bid to be properly assessed. That is what I intend to do and before coming back to the Government with an assessment. That is where matters stands.

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