Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If contractors are on margins of 1% or 2% and diesel has gone up by between 20% and 25% and materials by at least 20%, with the steel price alone increasing by 40%, they are in severe loss-making situations. From my own observations, what then happens is they are chasing the dragon of cash. They are chasing payments from TII to cover pay, materials, contractors and subbies, in many cases maybe on older contracts. It is just keeping them in operation and they are not making a profit. I understand there are about three principal Irish civil engineering road-building contractors in the Irish market at the moment. Is that correct?