Mr. T.J. Malone:

To address the question related to Covid-19, it might help if I give an overall view of the different stages involved in building out a network. There are four different stages before we get to finally connect a premises at the end. We have a survey to start the first part of it. That would lead in to the design of the network, which would then give us the information we need to build the network. Once the network is built, we can connect the homes.

The survey is the first part. That means we literally have to walk every metre and kilometre around the country to get an understanding of the condition of the existing network. We are trying to utilise as much existing network as possible to get the delivery as quickly as possible to people. The survey was the first part to do. We did have problems or issues at the outbreak of Covid-19. We had concerns about trying to get accommodation, as Mr. Hendrick mentioned. There were no hotels available and there were no toilets or facilities available on the road. At that stage we had intended to use one contractor to do the design of the full network, but we quickly mobilised two additional contractors. We increased our workforce across the board, therefore, by getting three contractors. As Mr. Hendrick mentioned, we now have 132,000 premises surveyed. That equates to approximately 16,000 km of road and about 250,000 poles tested. Although we were behind earlier in the programme, we have now caught up and surpassed on the surveying. That is 25% of the total 544,000 premises - we are a quarter way through the entire intervention area - now surveyed and we are running at a run rate of about 17,500 premises per month. We have caught up and are ahead. That leads in-----