Ms Anne Graham:

That is a matter for the company. It is a private company. We undertook an open public tender process and that is the contracted rate. Where there is a profit, how it is distributed is a matter for the company. All we are required to investigate in any detail is the cost to the State of directly awarded contracts when one is assessing if one is getting value for money from the money going to operators in instances where there has not been competition. Our obligation is to ensure we get value for money from Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus and Iarnród Éireann where they are awarded contracts without having a competition.