Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We are running a bit behind and I may have to leave before my ten minutes is up.

There is a mounting degree of concern in relation to how NBI is running this contract and how it has been structured. The previous Deputy mentioned this and I would like a specific answer on it. If the Minister of State cannot provide it in the Chamber now, he can provide it in writing.

Granahan McCourt Dublin (Ireland) Limited was made the preferred bidder on 7 May 2019. Four days before they signed the contract, the name was changed to Granahan McCourt Dublin Limited and "(Ireland)" was dropped. The new company's directors were appointed on the same day. Deputy Ossian Smyth was not Minister or Minister of State at the time, but has he ever been given an explanation as to why that change in the structure of the preferred bidder took place? This was before we knew anything about Metallah or any of the background investors, or the pure investment structures. This was purely on the preferred bidder. At the inception point of this, there was a change four days out which may seem small - the dropping of a word. Maybe there is a simple explanation for it, but we need that explanation. Everything that has happened since would indicate that maybe there is not a simple explanation and that this was maybe the first move in what has become a Byzantine investment structure that is now running a €2.97 billion investment project - the biggest investment project in the history of the State. If the Minister of State could answer that first, I would appreciate it.

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