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Miche\u00e1l Martin has accused the Government of turning the signing of a major broadband contract into a \u201cnakedly political\u201d by-election PR stunt.<\/p>\nMiche\u00e1l Martin has accused the Government of turning the signing of a major broadband contract into a \u201cnakedly political\u201d by-election PR stunt.<\/p>\n
The Fianna F\u00e1il leader said the launch event for the National Broadband Plan at a school in Co Wicklow blurred the line between official government business and political campaigning.<\/p>\n
The \u20ac3bn project will roll out high-speed broadband to more than half a million premises throughout the country.<\/p>\n
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Communications Minister Richard Bruton joined representatives from National Broadband Ireland, the consortium that will deliver the rollout, at the event at a school in Laragh on Tuesday. Government officials also attended.<\/p>\n
The contract signing came ahead of a series of by-elections at the end of the month.<\/p>\n
Addressing the D\u00e1il, Mr Martin criticized the launch.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was turned into a nakedly political by-election event in Co Wicklow attended by Fine Gael non-office holders, Fine Gael candidates, Fine Gael councillors,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one Fianna F\u00e1il TD (Pat Casey) who was there was not invited, it was his former school, he found his way there.<\/p>\n
“You guys organized a Fine Gael event. This is serious.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat this represents is a blurring of office holding, of government activity with party political campaigning, it should not happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Martin demanded assurances that no public resources would be used to assist non-office holders in the promotion of the roll out and no Fine Gael candidate would be provided with information on it for campaigning purposes.<\/p>\n
He urged the Government to suspend advertising and marketing of the plan in advance of next year\u2019s general election and asked for confirmation that Fine Gael did not obtain information from the private company prior to the contract being signed.<\/p>\n
Mr Bruton defended the event and its attendees.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery step in this we have been meticulous in ensuring the public interest would be protected and it was natural that at this signing of such an important contract we would have senior officials present who were involved in the development of this,\u201d he told the D\u00e1il.<\/p>\n
Mr Bruton said the plan was a \u201cvery significant project\u201d for rural Ireland.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a really important decision and deserved the attention it got from ministers across government to be part of an important announcement for the future of the country,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n