Results 5,461-5,480 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: This price has been set by the State in the contract. It is based on prevailing prices elsewhere with the objective that people in urban and rural areas will pay the same charge. It is anticipated that situation will prevail, and ComReg advised us throughout. We are linking the prices in urban areas with the prospective ones in rural areas. As I mentioned earlier, Eir charges €20...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: No, the figure that I have is 32,000, and that is the provision.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: I will get the details for the Deputy. I would not like to think that what we are saying here is that we are encouraging ribbon development. That is not at all the purpose of this. The purpose of Project 2040, which I know the Deputy may dispute, is that we are trying, for every climate reason and all sorts of reasons, to have compact and connected development on a sustainable basis. The...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: Yes. We have not sought to-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: I do not know where the figure originated but I will come back to the Deputy on the matter.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: I do not know the details of the national planning framework. However, I am conscious that it seeks to revive rural communities, while also providing for the compact development of urban areas. I do not want to pronounce on the numbers without obtaining more information. We received submissions from most Departments which saw merit in the proposal. Obviously, there is clear merit in...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: That was the Department's evaluation. When the alternatives were being evaluated, it looked back at the time it would take having regard to a fresh state aid notification and approval, the undertaking of a new procurement process, a teasing out of that process, and moving to a final decision and the signing of contracts. It is not a short process. Anyone who has seen procurement processes...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: I believe it has, yes.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: We have dealt with that already. I will go back and take the Deputy's question.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: In respect of each alternative, the key element in respect of which it represented a departure from the existing plan A was evaluated in detail. For example, in examining the use of wireless technology as opposed to fibre technology, the cost and reach of such a system was evaluated. When it was found that the cost would be greater and the reach less, no further cost-benefit analysis was...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: Absolutely. There was detailed appraisal of different elements of each alternative, including reach, cost, risk of delay, and legal robustness. Each alternative was looked at with regard to what it would bring to the party. Those features were the ones in respect of which effort went into the evaluation.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: The financial appraisals involve confidential models. The full detail of how a company intends to roll out deployment cannot be given out because it is confidential under the tender arrangement.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: Yes.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: Yes.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: I presume it is because these evaluations are confidential to the operation. When alternatives are being examined, confidential information is received from firms who could be players in the project. For example, there were discussions with the ESB. Information about potential bidders is not going to be put into the public domain-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: This is confidential information. This is a procurement process in a sector in which different companies are competing. They have a right to protect their information. If we suppose that plan A fails and we are not able to provide contracts, we may have to go back to those alternatives. We should not have estimates for those alternatives in the public domain, as they may undermine the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: The obligation of the contractor is to deliver 146,000 km of fibre. It can use ESB poles, Eir poles, or ducts. It is not obliged to use any one option. Prices for both are regulated. ComReg will decide the price at which a service will be made available. Using ESB poles creates additional health and safety issues different from those associated with using Eir poles. There may be...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: It needs to be regulated. I beg the Deputy's pardon. That is the intention of ComReg.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: It is an alternative-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (14 May 2019)
Richard Bruton: I understand that it has legal risks and that was the reason that it did not go much further. I will get the Deputy a note on that.