Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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38. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the impact that the reduction to two bidders will have on the national broadband plan; the way in which the agreement with a company (details supplied) has impacted on the plan; the timeframe for rollout; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41890/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I have given a detailed outline on the current status of the procurement process in my responses to the priority questions on today's order paper.  The Deputy will be aware that this procurement process will select a bidder, or bidders, who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network to remote and rural areas not served by commercial operators.  The successful bidder, or bidders, will build, maintain and operate this State intervention network for the next 25 years.

Last Tuesday, 26th September, 2017 was the closing date for bidders to submit their "Detailed Solutions" in the procurement process and I can confirm that my Department received submissions from two bidders.  These bidders were Eircom Limited and the Granahan McCourt, enet, SSE, John Laing Group plc consortium.  This is a significant and positive milestone in the process and the path to a digitally equal Ireland. The submissions received means that we are at the final stages of this procurement process. My Department's specialist NBP team are now evaluating these two submissions over the coming weeks, with the expectation that very early in 2018 bidders will be invited to submit final tenders

As I have already informed the House, just ahead of the closing date for "Detailed Solutions", SIRO formally communicated its withdrawal from the National Broadband Plan procurement process.  In doing so however, SIRO remains strongly committed to its original commitment to invest €450m to provide pure fibre broadband to 51 towns across Ireland on an open access basis.  As of the end of last week, some 100,000 premises have been passed by SIRO. 

Notwithstanding SIRO's withdrawal, the fact remains that this procurement process is still competitive involving two strong operators in the telecommunications field.