Fianna Fáil is calling for control of the National Broadband Plan to be transferred to a semi-state firm like the one behind Irish Water.

The party wants a firm like Ervia to be put in charge of the multi-million Euro project.

The Irish Independent reports that the party views the tendering process as “hopelessly compromised” following ongoing delays and controversy over contacts between the Government and the lead bidder for the contract.

Fianna Fáil believes that a semi-state like the Ervia, the ESB or Bord na Móna may be best placed to bring the project forward.

The party's communications spokesperson, Timmy Dooley said large-scale semi-States already have the experience needed to deliver massive logistical schemes.

Semi-state

He said the ESB has “a phenomenal amount of experience in rolling out infrastructure and is already involved in the broadband space.”

“I think they together with others can be brought in to solve this problem,” he said.

“It can be done, in my view, through a direct award from the State and I think it is the only way that we are going to see broadband delivered to the million people [that need it].

Audit

Deputy Dooley has said the tendering process as it stands has been “hopelessly compromised” and his party is holding out little hope that it can be brought back on track through the investigation currently being undertaken by independent auditor Peter Smyth.

“The difficulty with the tendering process to date is that the State has not put enough money on the table,” said Deputy Dooley.

“Two major companies pulled away – ESB, Vodafone under the brand Siro, together with Eir.

“I think what the Government should have done in the first instance is try to understand why they pulled out and I think if they did that would have assisted them in understanding how the process was failing and we would not have had this delay.”

It is believed it will now be 2020 at the earliest before broadband is rolled out to the first premises.