A final decision on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) is expected within weeks after Minister for Communications Richard Bruton confirmed he would bring his recommendations to Cabinet before the end of the month. The scheme to bring high-speed broadband to 540,000 rural households has been dogged by controversies and delays from the start. “No final figure has been set because we’re continuing to finalise what would be involved, ”Mr Bruton told RTÉ’s Today with Seán O’Rourke show. However, he said the scheme was “going to be costly” and the Government had to make a decision whether the investment was worthwhile. The Government’s high-profile procurement process has elicited just one bid, from Granahan McCourt, which the Department of Communications has been mulling over since last September.

Source: The Irish Times April 01, 2019 14:15 UTC