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

If a business orders stock way in excess of what is required, there is an old rule about working capital and running a business. When this order was made, the methodology and due diligence were soft and not rigorous enough. Ultimately, people living in Ireland - the taxpayer, the person in receipt of social welfare or whoever - are picking up the tab. It should not have happened. It is an affront to the Irish taxpayer that €44 million was invested in something which is probably worth roughly 34% of that. It has lost three quarters of its value. That is bad business. If the book value of the carriages is €40 million, less €10 million for modifications, and if one has to give a discount of 50%, they are worth €15 million. They have lost 75% of their value.