DUBLIN, Ireland-As the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the awarding of the second GSM license in Ireland continues, those who advised the government at the time have been trying to justify their roles in setting the value of the license.
Senior figures in the civil service have admitted they seriously underestimated the potential market for mobile phones in Ireland. Principal officer Martin Brennan headed the team that evaluated the contenders for the license. He said even projections of 30-percent penetration were dismissed as unfeasible at the time.
There are now about 3 million mobile phones in circulation in Ireland with penetration approaching 80 percent.
Brennan said he proposed a fixed
