Mr. Ciarán Ó hÓbáin:

In terms of the engagement around the 2018 contingency report work, that commenced in mid-2018. The key factor influencing that piece of work was the fact that we were in a single bidder situation. Earlier in the year we had carried out a project reappraisal, which led us in the direction of continuing with the procurement process, but notwithstanding that, it was determined that it would be useful to carry out contingency planning.

The second element, in 2019, as I alluded to earlier, was triggered by the fact that the evaluation of the final tender had reached the point where we understood what we had by way of a bid and we understood the cost. We had to be realistic and say that here was a very big decision the Government was going to make in this space and, in advance of that, we had to look and ask, in the event that we were not to proceed, what else we might do.