John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Having spent 15 years in the construction business, I can tell Mr. Pollock that if the lowest tender is 20% below the next tender, someone should ask why. Some of the people on the board are former CEOs of big companies. I can guarantee that if they tendered for a job of that size and were out by 20%, a lot of questions would be asked. To be out by 20% is beyond reasonable in this business. My contention is that BAM, knowing that if it got in it could not be removed, bought the contract with the aim of recovering its costs at a later stage. Deputy O'Connell hinted at a lack of competition. BAM knew exactly what it was doing. It got in at the beginning, knowing that there was no way the client would get another contractor to do phase two and it could get its money back then. That is what has happened and I anticipate that the independent inquiry will find to that effect.

The phase one tender was for €637 million. What did phase one end up costing?