Ms Anne Graham:

We had originally planned that it would take about five years to roll out but that was dependent on getting a consistent level of funding. We commenced Connecting Ireland just at the end of Covid, which also had its challenges. Initially, we would have liked to have delivered in a five-year programme. Based on our current run rate, it is probably going to take about six years to roll out the ambition we set out in Connecting Ireland. I do not think it will ever meet all the demands we will see in rural Ireland so I there will be a need for a Connecting Ireland part 2.