John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for that. Mr. Gunning has a background in business. I think it was in Hewlett-Packard. Let us go back to our room to improve analogy. If Mr. Gunning was before Hewlett-Packard's board, the chairman would insist on a final figure. Has the Secretary General of the Department looked for a final figure? Has Mr. Gunning had conversations with the Secretary General and the Minister that he is unable to have with us for reasons of commercial sensitivity? Would that be a reasonable thing to do for the moment? The Minister has to provide the budget. I presume at some stage the Minister or the Secretary General has asked what the bottom line is and how much the State is likely to have to commit here if this is not a bottomless pit. Have those conversations been had? I imagine in the context of a company like Hewlett-Packard Mr. Gunning would have faced requests to cut various areas because the company would not go over its budget. I would welcome a general answer to that.