Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To go back to Deputy Bríd Smith's question, the make-up of the group and any evolution of the make-up of the group has always gone to a pre-qualification test and the procedure provided for any change in the make-up of the group to be retested against the pre-qualification criteria. In respect of any changes, they were satisfied that the process, which was independent from the Minister, then or now, was robust.

On the question in relation to the narrow band, I do not accept the Deputy's assertion. The position is that the auditor viewed this against a very wide range of issues, namely whether the former Minister was privy to any sensitive information that could have benefited Granahan McCourt; if he took any decisions within the process that benefited Granahan McCourt - the auditor concluded the former Minister did not; whether the former Minister was in a position to influence changes in the tender documents - the auditor concluded he was not; and whether the former Minister was in a position to influence the evaluation of the submissions, particularly the refined detailed solution and the final tender, and the former Minister was not. This was not a narrow base. This was a broad-based look at whether the process at any point had been undermined by the meetings which, admittedly, were not minuted and at which no witness was in attendance.

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