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

I do not want to confirm anything ahead of the finalising of contracts. That is a process that we are undertaking. To deal with Deputy Cowen's point, from the start of this process the appointment of a preferred bidder has been a very important milestone and stage in this. It is not the case that because we are not ready to sign a contract, we are picking out a preferred bidder. A preferred bidder stage was always intended from the outset, and Members can see it in the documentation. We would then proceed to a finalisation of contracts, which will be a 1,500-page document.

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