Department of Communications officials are drawing up a number of options on the future of the national broadband plan - including not proceeding with the multi-billion euro project.

Department secretary general Mark Griffin admitted that potentially altering or scrapping the existing plan is likely to be an option on the table when cabinet is asked to decide in the coming weeks.

Speaking at the public accounts committee meeting, Mr Griffin was asked by Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane if he is "confident the project will go ahead".

After pausing for up to 15 seconds, Mr Griffin responded by saying: "Let me put it this way. I'm confident the project as presented will fulfil all its objectives. The decision on whether to proceed is a Government decision... Our Minister [Richard Bruton] will be bringing a recommendation based on an evaluation."

Mr Cullinane said he wanted to clarify what this means, and asked two more times if the Department has "looked at all options including potentially not proceeding" with the broadband project. "if you are doing an assessment, you are looking at all options", he added.

My question is clear, as part of the assessment, has the option of not proceeding with the plan been examined and is it one of the options contained in the overall assessment that will then go to Government?

In response, Mr Griffin said "the assessment process will have to deal with that" and repeated that the "focus of the work has been on evaluating the bid put to us", including "the impact of not proceeding and other options available if we do not proceed".