Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Based on what Mr. Scannell has said, would it not be normal procedure within the Department that the tendering process would have taken place and that the new contractor would have taken up its position on the 27th day of the month after the other contract ceased on the 26th?

In this instance, responsibility for bringing forward a new contract of initiative lies with IDA Ireland. As I explained, in November 2016 the board of IDA Ireland decided not to retender. The Department accepted IDA Ireland's decision. There was no question of taking an alternative course.