Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Three bidders were contacted and one showed an interest. Three more bidders were contacted and two showed an interest. Those two came forward out of ten that were considered after there was a leak about the sale in February 2014. Again, the Department had to do something about it. Eventually there were nine bidders from a very reactive process.

If the witnesses have read the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, I really would like them to come back to me on the issues he raised about the process, the restriction in the data room, accessing local valuers and many other concerns which not one of the witnesses have addressed today regarding the report. There are two aspects. We have a Comptroller and Auditor General's report that stands, and really it is up to whoever is questioning it to show us where it does not stand, and nobody has told us anything about the conflict of interest or how it might have been handled differently.