Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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206. To ask the Minister for Finance the projected cost of the national broadband plan included in the pre-committed expenditure in each of the years 2021 to 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27947/19]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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As I indicated in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 134 on 21 May, the National Broadband Plan (NBP) is currently expected to require an additional c. €0.2 billion in each of 2021 and 2022 and c. €0.3 billion in each of 2023 and 2024.

Table 4 of the Summer Economic Statement (SES) 2019 notes that the expenditure developments include the impact of the NBP.

The expenditure benchmark table (table A1 in Annex 1 of the SES) is based on the assumptions in table 4, therefore reflecting the amounts outlined above.

As the Deputy is aware, table A1 is presented in fiscal space terms. As the NBP is a capital project, the nominal amounts are therefore subject to the four-year smoothing.