a reduction of over €1.3m on the amount payable by the taxpayer for the provision of this public service
...it must mean over the 3 year period....!!! AND...they must know by now what the Aer Arann bid was this time and their tender came in €1.3 cheaper than them over the next 3 years. I wouldn't think that they are talking 'in arrears'... Tendered amounts were hardly less than those of 3 years ago!!!