Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

With regard to the bulk sale, as against individual or small-scale sales in Northern Ireland, there was mention that because Northern Ireland is a small economy, the agency did not want an adverse effect on it. Why was the relationship with Northern Ireland debtors deteriorating? There was mention of political consequences as well as impairment. Was that an influence on the decision to go for a big loan sale? In hindsight, would it have been better from a financial perspective to have sold it in smaller blocks, as the witnesses mentioned, over five years to 2020? Would the agency have realised more money in that case? I know it is a hypothetical position. Was that considered or did it factor in the criteria?