Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

With every day that passes, the process surrounding the national broadband plan becomes ever more reminiscent of the debacle that now surrounds the cost of the national children's hospital. When I pressed the Taoiseach on this here yesterday, he admitted and confirmed for the first time that the cost of the broadband plan could reach €3 billion, despite the original cost estimate being in the region of €500 million. Despite the Taoiseach's attempt to skate around this yesterday by arguing that the plan had changed, the fact is that in 2012 the commitment made by the then Minister, Mr. Pat Rabbitte, as part of the Fine Gael-Labour coalition was to ensure the roll-out of high-speed broadband to every home and business throughout the State. That was the commitment - plain and simple.

We can argue the toss around semantics. The fact is that the aim of the national broadband plan has not changed, but what has changed, incredibly, is its cost. According to the Taoiseach yesterday, it will now cost six times what was expected. The overspend could run into billions of euro. To top it all, the Taoiseach advises that the infrastructure will be in the ownership of the consortium but that the State could, 25 years on, spend more public money to buy that infrastructure back. One could not make this up. It is utterly ludicrous.

The unfortunate reality of all of this mess is that, as the Taoiseach said, more than 500,000 homes, businesses and farms right across rural areas are left still without broadband, despite repeated assurances and repeated announcements. It beggars belief that this is still an issue. We have no date still for a decision to be taken. We have no date for commencement. The commitment to deliver high-speed broadband by 2020 will undoubtedly be broken. That is the reality. This process has been utterly chaotic.

The Taoiseach stated last October, in the aftermath of the resignation of the then Minister, Deputy Denis Naughten, that he would make this national broadband plan a "personal crusade". He also said, "I promised I will make it happen". He told the Dáil in November that he received two reports on this matter from the Department at least every fortnight. When exactly will the rest of us get a proper report? When will we get clarity? We were supposed to have an announcement before Easter. That is now not going to happen, despite the Taoiseach's assurances that it would.

We do not now know whether this plan is going ahead or not. The 500,000 homes, businesses and farms, it seems, are to be left in the lurch for a considerable period. The Taoiseach has no notion of any cost or budget for this plan. Above all, people in rural areas are left with no clarity as to what is happening. We can all agree that is utterly unacceptable. When will we have an announcement? When will be have the real figures? When will be have access to that? Above all, when will people in rural areas know that there will, in fact, be a national broadband plan roll-out?

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