Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 18 October 2016

Public Accounts Committee

Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (Resumed)

10:00 am

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for being here so long. It is difficult to put questions in a short time but we do our best.

Mr. McEnery said that he was grateful to the Comptroller and Auditor General for his support for NAMA from its birth to now and that he learned a lot from him. That rings a bit hollow when juxtaposed with the opening statement today. Mr. Soffe was given an opportunity to withdraw the word "unsubstantiated". I put it to him again because I think he should. I think he missed the point. He can have a difference of opinion with the Comptroller and Auditor General, he does not have to agree with his observations, assumptions or conclusions. He can disagree with them but he cannot disagree that he made his observations based on evidence and information that he and his office received on bidders' experience. They and he made substantiated observations. Mr. Soffe may disagree with the observations but they were substantiated. Would he take the opportunity now to withdraw the word "unsubstantiated" because he was offered that opportunity earlier by Teachta McDonald and he did not take it. It is important given what has been said since about the Comptroller and Auditor General's office and the good faith referred to that he take the opportunity to withdraw the word "unsubstantiated".

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