Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I hope the focus is not going to be entirely on the costs, although I understand that is going to be an issue. I hope the clinical benefits, which Deputy Brassil understands more than most and of which he is very supportive, will also be an issue this committee will monitor closely. In closing on that question, I need to say that I do not want the committee to get the impression that the Government arrived at a decision to go ahead, or the Department advised me to ahead, and proceed with phase B in the absence of expert advice. Before proceeding, a significant amount of what I would call due diligence was done between August and 18 September, as well as engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. As I outlined earlier, the three options ultimately considered were retendering, pausing, or proceeding. The decision to proceed was the one recommended to me and I accepted that.