Paul Murphy Challenges Secrecy Around National Broadband Deal
Paul Murphy criticised the handling of the national broadband plan, calling it a massive swindle and accusing the government of a lack of transparency that appeared to benefit a shadowy hedge fund. He pressed the Taoiseach to provide answers, urged publication of the full contract and asked why investor contribution clauses were redacted.
Main allegations
Paul Murphy said the available evidence, drawn from the work of the currency, amounts in summary form to "what looks like a massive swindle perpetuated on the public". He accused the government of facilitating that outcome through a lack of transparency, alleging investors met equity requirements by supplying high-rate loans rather than equity while public funds paid substantial fees.
Contract publication and redactions
Murphy asked why the contract has not been published in full as promised to the Oireachtas by the then minister and why sections governing how investors contribute capital to National Broadband Ireland have been redacted. He questioned why those provisions were treated as commercially sensitive after the contract was signed and competition was no longer a factor.
Questions for the Taoiseach
He said he found the Taoiseach's earlier answers wanting and encouraged the Taoiseach to respond to a list of 14 questions posted on the currency's website. Murphy said he would not have time to ask all the items but raised several specific queries during the debate and urged full answers rather than deferral to ministers' regular questions.
Report recommendation and timetable
Murphy referenced recommendation 3-4 of the report, which calls for increased certainty for individuals and businesses and publication of a timetable showing how the national broadband plan rollout is being brought back on track. He noted those recommendations were conceived before the emerging scandal he described and said a clear timetable is now essential to restore confidence.
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The recommendation 3-4 of the report is to increase certainty for individuals and businesses, publish a timetable that shows how the national broadband plan rollout is being brought back on track, obviously conceived before the latest and emerging, I would say, very significant scandal in terms of national broadband Ireland. I listened to the Taoiseach's answers earlier and I found them wanting to kick simply to ministers' regular questions later on today. I mean, in blunt, what we know from the very good work by the currency and in summary form is what looks like a massive swindle perpetuated on the public in this country and facilitated by a lack of transparency by the government all to the benefit of a shadowy hedge fund, where in essence their requirements in terms of providing equity have apparently been satisfied not by providing equity but instead by providing loans at extraordinarily high rates all the while collecting very substantial fees paid for by the public. So there is a list of 14 very appropriate questions on the currency's website, which I won't get a chance to ask all of, but I just ask some and encourage the Taoiseach to look at them and to provide answers. One, why is the contract not published in full, as promised to the Oireachtas by then Minister Bruton? Secondly, why are the sections of the published contract governing how investors contribute capital to national broadband Ireland redacted out? Why was that deemed commercially sensitive after they signed the contract and were no longer exposed to competition? And a series of other relevant questions.
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