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

It is a small mercy that we were not reliant on the Taoiseach and his Government for rural electrification because there would still be debate about Ardnacrusha power plant. We would still be in the dark, lighting candles and hoping for the best.

The Government used the wrong procurement process. The process was supposed to generate a dynamic of competitiveness and yet there is a sole bidder left. By definition, that leaves the Government vulnerable in terms of cost. The Cabinet and Government sources consistently briefed that the cost of this scheme would be €500 million. The Taoiseach quoted a memo brought to Cabinet in 2014 but I am advised by Deputy Howlin that a subsequent memo was brought by the then Minister of State and former Deputy, Alex White. The Taoiseach is being selective in his quotation of memos.

We are now left in a situation that is utterly farcical. The Taoiseach states that he is not sure whether he is going to accept this bid from the sole bidder, the cost of which will be six times that of the original estimate. The Taoiseach still protests, with a straight face, that he is the Taoiseach and that this is the Government that will deliver broadband to rural Ireland. Quite frankly, nobody believes that at this stage and I suspect he does not believe it either.

I ask for more clarity in the Taoiseach's answers. Can he give us a precise date on which the Cabinet will make its decision? Can he give us access to these memos and all of the information and data that he possesses?

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