Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein)
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89. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of members the State will appoint to the board of a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21701/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The final number of directors on the Board of National Broadband Ireland (NBI) has yet to be finalised but will be between five and nine.The Minister has a right to appoint one director to the Board.

One other director (and more than one if there are more than five Directors overall) will be appointed by the Shareholders of NBI following an open competitive process run by an external search firm. The remaining directors will be appointed by the Shareholders of NBI.

The Minister’s Appointee is one element of the overall suite of provisions in the contract that provide comprehensive protections for the State's investment.

NBI’s sole purpose and objective will be to comply with and implement the NBP Contract. As a result all Board members and not just the Minister’s Appointee will have to comply with governance requirements designed to give priority to the broadband rollout under the NBP Contract and also under NBI’s Constitution, the relevant parts of which cannot be changed without the Minister’s approval.