Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There should be a role for the agency with regard to directed investment. This is investment directed by the Minister, who has the ability to direct, sell off or dump the assets and stipulate conditions. We have dealt with remuneration and structures; experts and the best minds in Ireland are being gathered to deal with investment. If the Minister directs to invest in a bank, the agency should have a role in monitoring or advising, for example, on whether it is the right time to dump particular shares. It should not be a case of the Minister directing the agency on what to do with half of the portfolio and the agency not wanting to know about that half until somebody in the Department directs it again. It will create a snake with two heads, but they will need to speak to each other. I do not mean to call anyone snakes and I apologise to the officials.