Kate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As a committee we need information. When we have witnesses in to the committee who have a product and when there will be a budget for that product, we as a committee have to be very aware of the facts. I read a lot of documentation on fibre optics last night and today it has been discussed as an evolving sector, whether it is equal or not and that it is an alternative in Japan, in Jersey and in the United States of America. This morning, however, we heard that Eir has announced €500 million in fibre investment and a further €250 million in respect of the rural fibre programme. We are not getting the right information or non-biased information. It is very important for the committee to have some sort of expert advice on this.