Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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49. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated cost of the national broadband plan in excess of the amount allocated in the national development plan in each of the years 2020 to 2025; the potential cost if the national broadband plan were to be found to be in breach of state aid rules; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46969/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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My Department has a capital allocation in 2020 for the National Broadband Plan of €119 million.

The multi-annual expenditure ceilings for Capital Expenditure for my Department are published in the Budget 2020 Expenditure Report. The total capital expenditure ceiling for my Department for 2021 is €517m and for 2022 is €611m.

The detailed allocations required for the NBP for 2021 and for subsequent years of the NBP, to deliver high speed broadband to more than 1.1 million people in the intervention area, will be settled in the context of the annual Estimates process.

With regard to compliance by the NBP with State aid rules, on 15 November last, Ireland received a positive decision from the European Commission in this regard.