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The independent evaluator's review of the National Broadband Plan procurement process revealed that neither former Minister Denis Naughten nor businessman David McCourt had influenced the process of tender of the plan.
Auditor Peter Smyth's report was delivered to the government last week.
The report examines whether contacts between Mr. Naughten and Mr. McCourt – who is leading the only consortium that bid for the contract – compromised the project.
The review was requested by the Taoiseach after it appeared that Mr. Naughten had met Mr. McCourt on several occasions, including a meeting at Mr. McCourt's in Co Clare, which was not in trial. Proceedings.
The report revealed that: "The fact that the former minister met with Mr. McCourt or representatives of the other bidders outside the process does not in itself constitute a basis for the conclusion that the contracting process has been completed. corrupt.
"I am confident that neither the former minister nor Mr. McCourt have had the opportunity to influence the progress of the bidding process in favor of Granahan McCourt or any other party. Another way.
"I also think that the former minister's decision to resign, thus withdrawing from the process, isolates the process from any apparent bias created by his relationship with Mr. McCourt."
Mr. Smyth stated that the absence of official minutes or meeting notes for a number of meetings meant that he had trusted Mr. Naughten and Mr. McCourt's statements. and other people for checking the content of the meetings.
"I can not state unequivocally that the state-led intervention under the NBP has not been addressed in meetings between the former minister and Mr. McCourt outside. of the procurement process ".
The report revealed that the communication protocol relating to the procurement process "does not expressly prohibit commitments between bidders (or individual members of a bidding consortium) and the department.
"Such a prohibition would have been unworkable in the context of the ongoing work of the Department outside the procurement process.
"The protocol states that the commitments regarding the procurement process for a state-led intervention under the NBP are themselves subject to the protocol." Therefore, the fact that the former minister meeting with Mr. McCourt (or representatives of other bidders)) outside the process is not in itself a basis for concluding that the procurement process has been tainted. "
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