Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the fact that the management team from Uisce Éireann is appearing before us today. Like Deputy Cowen, I have been drawing a blank with my questions on this major project during the past two years. I do not agree with the political decision to set it up but, nevertheless, we are where we are.

On the recruitment process for outside consultants, was the Minister, Deputy Hogan, or the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, informed of the scale of the outside help that would be needed? Were they aware of the major contracts that were being awarded? Mr. Tierney mentioned one of €44 million. That is one part of my question in that respect, and there is another part to it. It was reported in one of this morning's newspapers that four contracts had been awarded without open competition. Can Mr. Tierney clarify that? Can he state here categorically that every contract was open to competitive tendering on the open market? I have a number of questions and I will move along quickly.