David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Clarification is needed on the process, notwithstanding the answers we have received from Mr. Quinn. Will Mr. Quinn give us the name of the person who gave the informal advice? Who in the Department made contact with this person who worked in the aviation industry? What is the name of the company for which the person worked? Was the person a board member, a CEO or a director? What level of expertise did this person have? Mr. Quinn stated e-mails were exchanged with this informal contact and adviser, which underpinned the decision made. I go back to the earlier exchanges where we had on differences of opinion between the GOC and the person who gave the conflicting advice, which is this informal contact.

There seems to be a more fundamental question, and to restate it for Mr. Quinn so he knows exactly and understands exactly what the Comptroller and Auditor General has stated, a cost-benefit analysis is important in the disposal of any asset or equipment. The Comptroller and Auditor General stated in the case of the Gulfstream jet the Department did not formally appraise the economic case for increased maintenance costs in 2013 or 2014 nor the cost of returning the jet to a serviceable position against the benefits that would accrue from this use. In response to earlier questions on why the Department did not cost getting the jet back to a workable position and getting it flying again, Mr. Quinn stated a decision had been made by the Minister to sell it. It strikes me there is a possibility the narrative here is that the exceptional circumstances spoken about by Mr. Quinn are political, whereby a decision was made by a Minister to sell and get rid of the jet and the Department then sought to get whatever information or scrap of paper it possibly could from somebody to justify selling it. A political decision was made to sell it and get what we could for it. The Department then sought whatever justification it could from an expert, which is what it got, and it seems the advice previously given by people in the Air Corps was dismissed. This is something that worries me. Will Mr. Quinn to respond to this potential narrative? Will he provide the committee with the specific information I have sought?