Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein)
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On the intervention area, a decision was taken to allow Eir to connect 300,000 easy-to-reach households. It effectively encircled many villages, towns and areas of significant residential development in rural areas. This was of significant concern to me at the time. Some 340,000 homes and premises are now being serviced in those areas and that appears to have derailed the whole procurement process. Is that the reason for the other two bidders pulling out? Is it the reason for the cost of the subsidy to fill that gap increasing from slightly less than €800 million to €3 billion? The gap is €2.95 billion.