Mr. Dominic Mullaney:

We could go right back but then it was a different form of contract and the inflation clause was different. Inflation was provided for and it allowed contractors to get increases. What the Chair quoted is correct. The old contracts covered inflation greater than 50% and contractors had to wait 30 months. In the new contracts it has changed to inflation greater than 15% with a 24-month wait. In fairness to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, it introduced another measure at the same time. There is an applicability factor that allows the consumer price index to be applied from the time the tender is sent in to the time the contract is awarded. This is a saving grace. If it increases people do get the benefit of it.