Simon Coveney has refused to admit that the winning national broadband firm will get our network for free.
The Tánaiste was grilled in the Dáil today after it emerged that the country’s precious broadband infrastructure will be handed over to the broadband operator after 25 years, at the latest.
Fianna Fáil’s communications spokesman, Timmy Dooley, demanded to know if the Government was happy to hand over monopoly access to 400,000 customers to a private consortium.
He said that rural Ireland will be at the mercy of private profiteers at that stage.
And Sinn Féin’s deputy leader, Pearse Doherty, lashed out at the Tánaiste and said he and his Government were “cooking the books”.
The taxpayer is paying €3 billion to build the network that will connect rural homes and businesses to fibre broadband.
It has been reported that the firm which won the huge contract, Granahan McCourt, will only have to invest €2 billion, but they could see that back in profits in as few as eight years.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar faces backlash over Government's handling of National Broadband Plan
Mr Dooley was outraged in the Dáil.
“It is a rather bizarre move when no contract has been signed and when we are told by Government that it may not be signed for a further six months.
“In fact, there are real concerns as to whether it will ever be signed.
“I assume that at this stage the Tánaiste has realised this spin just will not wash with those people who have been waiting patiently for the broadband they have been promised on numerous occasions.
“The announcement is, in fact, a further betrayal of rural dwellers.”
He added: “Will the Tánaiste confirm that the real value at the end of the intervention period is the monopoly access to a customer base which, by the Government’s projections, comprises more than 400,000 homes and premises?
“These homes and premises will have no alternative but to use this infrastructure, for which they will pay a monthly fee.”
Taxpayers to pay €5,000 per house to subsidise €3billion National Broadband Plan
Mr Doherty said he shared the serious concerns raised by, among others, the Secretary General at the Department of Public Expenditure, Robert Watt.
The Sinn Féin TD said: “There are serious flaws here and I share the concerns expressed by others yesterday.
“This looks like the Government is cooking the books again.”
Mr Watt advised strongly as recently as last month that the Government should scrap their plans to get into business with Granahan McCourt.
He said it posed major “unprecedented risks” to our economy which we should not have to face.
Government accused of 'electioneering' after €3 billion National Broadband Plan approved
The country’s most senior civil servant strongly recommended against going with the plan the Government announced on Tuesday.
Mr Coveney defended the Government decision, saying that concerns had been responded to in great detail..
“This is a decision for the country for the next 35 years and beyond.
“It is about future-proofing rural Ireland for the technological change we know is happening.
“It is about ensuring that there is not a digital divide across this country based on where one lives or where one’s address is.
“We are making the largest capital commitment in terms of investment in rural Ireland since electrification.
“I hope we will get support from other parties in our efforts to do that.”
