Dee Ryan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have been contacted in the last 24 hours by a number of businesses in Limerick that are having difficulties with fibre installation in the city centre, which is surprising given that the city has a significant amount of infrastructure already invested in it in this regard. While the businesses I have spoken to have their contracts with different service providers, whether Eir or another private telecoms provider, it would appear that the work to install the fibre line has been subcontracted to the same company and that that particular company has been leaving people down, I am sorry to say, over the last couple of months. Could we have an update from the Minister on the roll-out of fibre across the country, but in particular, could we discuss the resources nationally that are available to support businesses and, indeed, residents in having fibre installed in their homes? In the case of these businesses in Limerick, they are moving from one premises to another. These are employers. It is impacting on their ability to continue with the expansion they are investing in. It is limiting them and slowing them down in their increased recruitment of employees and, obviously, the development of their business. I would be grateful if we could have an update from the Minister on the subcontractors and the resources nationally that are available to support the roll-out of fibre and, indeed, if we could ask the question as to whether we are over-reliant on one or two companies providing the service around the country.