A report into the National Broadband Plan tender process has found the process was not undermined by meetings former Minister Denis Naughten had with a businessman involved in the final consortium bidding for the contract.
An independent review was ordered after it emerged last month that the then minister had met with David McCourt on a number of occasions.
Mr McCourt is heavily involved in the last remaining consortium bidding for the contract to roll-out broadband across the country.
The revelations prompted Denis Naughten to resign as minister.
The review has now been published by Communications Minister Richard Bruton.
So the Smyth review of the broadband process basically says he doesn’t know what was discussed between Naughten and McCourt because there were no minutes - but he’s still happy the process wasn’t undermined pic.twitter.com/lWRGjatmk3
— Sean Defoe (@SeanDefoe) November 27, 2018
Peter Smyth, who carried out the review, says he was reliant on the accounts of Naughten and McCourt of some meetings where minutes weren't recorded or other officials weren't in attendance.
However, he concludes: "I am satisfied that the former Minister did not influence or seek to influence the conduct of the tender process in favour of Granahan McCourt or otherwise."
He adds: "I am satisfied that neither the former Minister nor Mr McCourt had the opportunity to influence the conduct of the tender process in favour of Granahan McCourt or otherwise.
"I also believe that the decision of the former Minister to resign, thereby removing himself from the process, insulates the process from any apparent bias created by his engagements with Mr McCourt."
Minister Bruton said the review had concluded that the undocumented meetings "did give rise to concern" - but said it found that Deputy Naughten "did not influence nor did he seek to influence" the bidding process.
He said Cabinet had considered the report today and its findings had been accepted by Government.
Minister Richard Bruton says the Broadband Report shows this process hasn’t been undermined by meetings between Denis Naughten and David McCourt pic.twitter.com/9JLHNMccu0
— Sean Defoe (@SeanDefoe) November 27, 2018
He said his department is continuing to evaluate the final tender, which will result in a recommendation to Government.
The minister added: “The government is committed to providing high speed to rural Ireland... The government is absolutely committed to reaching the 540,000 premises which will not be reached by commercial operators."
Meanwhile, opposition parties have continued criticising the way the plan has been handled.
Sinn Féin say the whole process is flawed, and there needs to be a deeper examination into why all the major telecoms companies have pulled out of the running.
The Labour Party claims it would be reckless to go ahead with this tendering process, as the cost of it spirals to what could be as much as €3 billion.
People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith has called for the project to be delivered by an existing state company such as the ESB.
