David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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What I seem to be getting from Mr. Quinn, everything I have seen in his opening remarks and also the responses to the Comptroller and Auditor General is that Mr. Quinn believes a cost analysis is not needed to inform, but only to validate, a decision. In any sale, one should do a cost analysis. I would imagine the company, Journey Aviation, that bought the jet carried out a cost analysis because it was prudent for it to do so. There were basic requirements here to conduct a full cost analysis and that was not done.

I will come to the decision-making process, on page 101 of the Comptroller and Auditor General's report. This refers back to an earlier question that was asked where the general officer commanding of the Air Corps recommended that the aircraft should be repaired. The report states:

He recommended that the aircraft should be repaired. The Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations) also recommended that the aircraft be returned to service.

That was on 8 August 2014.

I also ask Mr. Quinn to clarify the following because it is remarkable. Paragraph 8.15 of the Comptroller and Auditor General's report states: "The Department made informal contact with an Irish aviation consultant company .. ." What does "informal" mean and how is informal contact different from formal contact? Will Mr. Quinn explain what exactly this informal contact was, who from the Department contacted whom, who this person was and what level of expertise the person had?