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

As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment is the sponsoring agency for the national broadband plan, NBP. The Government is the final sanctioning authority. A procurement process was launched to engage a company to build, operate and maintain the State intervention network. A final tender from the remaining bidder was received by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment on 18 September 2018. Officials of that Department are examining this bid.

Officials of my Department with responsibility for the Vote for the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment have been apprised periodically of progress in the NBP procurement process. The Office of Government Procurement was represented in an advisory role on the procurement board for the project, but it does not have a decision-making role in the procurement process. In accordance with the public spending code, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment has submitted cost benefit analysis reports to my Department for comment regarding methodology. I will be working with my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, as he gets ready to bring a recommendation to the Government once he has considered the outcome of the evaluation process being undertaken by his Department.

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