PAC to examine Communications Department’s 2017 accounts & National Broadband Plan

The meeting is a resumption of the Committee’s consideration of Vote 29’s 2017 Appropriation Account and will focus on matters related to the National Broadband Plan.

The following Officials from the Department will appear before the Committee:

• Mark Griffin, Secretary General;
• Ciarán ÓhÓbáin, Assistant Secretary;
• Finola Rossi, Principal Officer;
• Fergal Mulligan, Programme Director;
• Patrick Neary, Chief Technical Advisor;
• Orla Ryan, Principal Officer.

Chairman of the PAC, Seán Fleming TD, said today, “The Department’s original estimate for the National Broadband Plan (NBP) was €355m - €512m. This was to provide 800,000 premises around Ireland with high speed broadband. That number has decreased to 540,000, but the cost of the NBP appears to be going up. The Committee will want to examine this matter and the current position in relation to the tendering process for the NBP and if this offers value for money to the taxpayer.”

The meeting will start at 9am in Committee Room 3