Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Did the witness request information about the possible value of the carriages in terms of resale? I refer to the original contract. Did any negotiations take place whereby contingencies were built in that if the volumes were not available, there would be perhaps reservation and title maintained over the carriages by the vendor? At that time, in December 2008, the Celtic tiger economy was coming to an end. We were making this extraordinary investment and I am trying to find out about the due diligence carried out at the time. From the viewpoint of the ordinary taxpayer, they see €44 million tied up in carriages and the Irish State having to pay €36 million to plug the hole in Irish Rail. There are many good people working in Irish Rail. I am putting this purely in terms of following the money for the Irish taxpayer.