Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach has said it is well known and well aired that the consortium changed. How is that acceptable when someone goes through prequalification, the next two stages and at the fourth and final stage, "Hey presto", a new consortium emerges but that is fine because we all know about it? This genuinely needs explanation. It is not covered or dealt with by the report. It is a fundamental question on how we do bidding processes of this kind.

Let us be clear, the former Minister was aware of the subsidy issue because it is documented on page 17. It states: "The former Minister was in attendance to emphasise that he could not bring the potential subsidy likely to be sought on foot of the bidder's proposal to the Government for approval." He is in there with the officials, which is fair enough in one sense, arguing with the bidder as to the level of subsidy.

I am not casting aspersions on the former Minister but this is the same bidder with whom he was having dinner. It does not stack up, and the report does not deal with those fundamental issues. The level of subsidy is crucial and can be to the benefit of a bidder.

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