Report on Project Kelvin including Fort George tele-exchange due soon - Gordon Lyons

The minister was asked about the transatlantic telecommunication network by SDLP MLA Sineád McLaughlin.

Mr. Lyons confirmed: “Redactions to the evaluation of Project Kelvin are being finalised and the report will be published in the coming weeks.”

It is now almost a year since Mr. Lyons’ predecessor Diane Dodds told Mrs. McLaughlin that while she was content for the report to be published the report contained ‘commercially sensitive data’.

Last January she advised: “I have asked my officials to undertake a due diligence exercise to identify and redact confidential information.

“This will be completed as quickly as possible, and the evaluation published on my Department’s website. My officials will advise the Member when this has been achieved.”

Twelve months later and the report still has not been completed. It is expected the report will examine the economic benefits or otherwise that may have accrued from the massive infrastructure project since it was completed and became operational in 2010.

The Fort George tele-exchange is one of a number of Points of Presence (POPs) on the Project Kelvin network.