Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

However, the Department is now investigating that. It is now engaging in a process of informing the public as to why it believes that contention cannot be delivered. Why did we have to wait until now for that to be the case? I would have thought there was ample opportunity between the Minister, departmental officials and whomever else was privy to the information that came in the letter on 30 January to investigate that contention and to emphatically refute that suggestion rather than leave it there. The Taoiseach and the Minister have told us that every other alternative consideration was checked and rechecked. They have told us that we can take their word for it that it is €3 billion, and that we will have to live with it and proceed accordingly. That is what I was led to believe, but now I hear about this letter which specifically mentioned doing it for a fraction of the cost.