Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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846. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has funded or if funds relating to national broadband plan funding have been directed towards a company (details supplied) in 2019; his plans for same in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44413/19]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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847. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has funded or if funds relating to the national broadband plan have been directed towards a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44431/19]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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848. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to award an initial percentage of national broadband plan funds to a company (details supplied) via another company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44453/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 846 to 848, inclusive, together.

The Government appointed National Broadband Ireland (NBI) as the Preferred Bidder for the National Broadband Plan (NBP) in May 2019. Since then my officials have been performing the necessary financial and contractual due diligence work needed before a contract can be concluded. The Department’s work is well progressed and, pending Government approval, I expect to sign the contract before the end of the year after which deployment will commence.

The NBP contract for the State intervention will be with NBI. NBI will be supported by a number of internationally experienced subcontractors, including the KN Group, Kelly Group and Actavo among others to assist in the delivery of the NBP. NBI is also finalising infrastructure access agreements with key infrastructure providers such as eir and enet. NBI will be required to demonstrate good value for money for these key subcontracts.