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

I can see the rationale for not publishing the costings and I hope the Deputy can understand it. The individual tenderer which has now been successful has to conclude deals with subcontractors. If we publish the tentative costings, it will undermine the ability of that tenderer to get value. Similarly, if we priced those alternatives and published those costings, we would undermine our ability to get value for money for the taxpayer if in the end it does not go ahead and we have to go back to the market. That is the reason for the redaction.

The development of the customer base is crucial to the success of this company. However, the company carries that risk entirely. One of the oft-cited critiques by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform concerned what will happen if this company does not get sufficient take-up. In that eventuality the company is at risk, not the State. That is included in the terms.

Regarding whether this is going to be a huge and lucrative company, I pointed out that this is an entirely regulated price. There is a fixed price which is currently set in the contract and in the future will be set by ComReg. It is comparable to the price in urban areas. There is not some super-price to be charged in rural areas. It is the same price. The projected turnover on the take-up the Deputy refers to is €150 million. Some €220 million of investment will be made in equity and working capital. That gives an idea of the scale of the company. It is very important that we develop the take-up and that is why we are doing it, to give those people a chance to access the network.

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