CI╔'s link with Esat is suspected of contributing to a £36 million overrun on a signalling project. But CI╔'s former programmes and projects director, Dr Ray Byrne, claimed yesterday that the deal could be worth more than £100 million to the transport group.
Dr Byrne worked simultaneously for Esat and CI╔ after they reached their agreement and claimed yesterday that the deal was a good one for the State.
He cited minutes of a meeting of the group's property board last November, which said that in time the agreement would " turn out" to be one of the best ever done by CI╔. "I believe that's the case," he said.
The £100 million projection could be "independently verified", in particular by the group's telecoms consultants, Norcontel. However, he was dismissed by the inquiry before being given an opportunity to explain how his figure was derived.
CI╔'s former chairman, Mr Brian Joyce, said he believed the deal could be worth up to £60 million for the group.
He believed in 1997 that CI╔ could generate £35 million from the agreement based on projections akin to those for rents on property.
The agreement allowing Esat construct telecoms system on the railway has been linked to the overrun on the signalling system.
