Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Let me be crystal clear on this. When there were two bidders in the process, it was our expectation that we would have a preferred bidder by September. There is now one bidder in the process. As the Deputy knows, the procurement team has been sitting beside me for the last fortnight dealing with specific questions which were rightly put by Members of the Oireachtas, both formally and informally, and I wanted to provide as much information as I could. I know there has been some engagement with the consortium within the last several days. I believe the procurement team is meeting with the committee tomorrow, and its members will provide information that is within their competency but is not within my remit.

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