Mr. Tom O'Mahony:

I would challenge Deputy O'Donnell if he was suggesting that anybody - any economic forecaster or forecaster of any description - would have predicted in 2008 the depth of the recession we were going to go into and the impact it would still be having six or seven years later. Remember these were purchase decisions for equipment which takes up to five years between ordering and delivery and which will be used for the next 30 years. Based on those projections, the view of Irish Rail and the Department at the time, which we now know to be wrong, was that these would be needed for future capacity. That work was then given to Goodbody Economic Consultants, which reviewed it. Goodbody approved it and the order was placed. That was the process that-----