Results 7,821-7,840 of 26,356 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: I cannot expect Mr. Hendrick to comment on the following matter with without careful thought. We want to deal with the broadband. Where does Mr. Hendrick believe the inaccuracies and misrepresentations were in the media? Does he want to comment on that? There is an opportunity to do so here, in a public forum.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: To get to the nub of it, is Mr. Hendrick, as the CEO of NBI, happy that NBI's financial structure and particularly its capital base and access to capital are secure enough to ensure there will be no hiccups in the roll-out of the national broadband plan?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: Mr. Hendrick, with regard to this proposal to look for new investors, who will they be? Obviously, you will have to get approval from the Department for that. What is the profile of that type of investor and what will the funds be used for? Is it about the broadband roll-out here or what is the purpose of this?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: Does that compromise it in any way? NBI was set up to roll out broadband in Ireland. If Mr. Hendrick is bringing in additional private investors to invest in NBI as a company or entity and NBI is now going to start doing the roll-out of broadband networks elsewhere in Europe-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: Why?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: With due respect, that is three or five years hence. Why is NBI now looking for new investors?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: What does this bring to the roll-out?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: Does the State have any involvement?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: Mr. Hendrick-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: I accept that. Why is that not standalone?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: Why is Mr. Henrick bringing it up today?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: It is slightly different, being the devil’s advocate here. The State is basically paying for the roll-out of the establishment of a rural broadband fibre based network. That involves the hiring and training of staff. That is being paid for by the State for the period of the build-out. If those staff are to be used on another project that is unrelated to this one, I must ask the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: Outside of Ireland.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: No, but private investors coming in would not be investing in the roll-out of the national broadband network.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: No, I am not saying that, but they are being brought in for a completely different purpose, namely, to take the staff who have worked on the network roll-out, paid for by the State for the roll-out period. I am not denying it is great they will get employment elsewhere, but the question I am asking is why do this now. Why would we do something that may have the consequences of, in some way,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: If NBI brings in a long-term partner, Mr. Hendrick is not talking about that partner going in instead of some of the existing investors.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: It is about NBI then.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: It is not about a standalone or about bringing in an investor who would be in a vehicle alongside NBI and when NBI is concluded the staff would go with that vehicle and work elsewhere?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Kieran O'Donnell: Mr. Hendrick is talking about bringing in a partner who would give the same financial commitment but he is talking about replacing some of the existing partners.