Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the deputy First Minister to the meeting. I have no desire to rehash the questions and answers session which took place in the Assembly, the report of which is available for everybody to see. I would like to focus my remarks on the operations of the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister, which Mr. McGuinness has occupied for eight years alongside the First Minister, in respect of which some questions have arisen both in terms of what went on in Northern Ireland and in regard to other documentation regarding text messages and so on provided to the committee.

My first question for Mr. McGuinness is one already asked of him in Northern Ireland. Who is Dara O'Hagan? As I understand it Dara O'Hagan is a former officeholder who I believe works for Mr. McGuinness and has done so for some time. I think Mr. McGuinness described Dara O'Hagan as an experienced political operative. Although Mr. McGuinness referred earlier to the MOU document being one that did not have standing and to it being only a draft, it is an important document in the context of what was going on in the Project Eagle process at a particular time and the involvement of the First Minister and the deputy First Minister or, rather, the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister. I appreciate the duality in that regard. I find it difficult to believe that a political party like Sinn Féin, in which Mr. McGuinness has been involved for 40 years or more, would not be in a position to recognise an important document and disseminate it appropriately. In regard to it not having come across Mr. McGuinness's desk, I can only take his word for that. I find it hard to believe that it was not disseminated for assessment to others within the political party of which he is a member with a view to it being brought to his attention because it was a significant document.

According to the Hansard transcript Mr. McGuinness said that he pressed the Taoiseach for a dedicated representative on the NAMA board to raise and highlight issues of concern to the Executive and Assembly and that he was presented with information by the Ministers, Deputy Michael Noonan and Sammy Wilson MLA, at bilateral meetings thereafter. What correspondence or discussion did Mr. McGuinness's office have with the Northern Ireland advisory board of NAMA, individuals in Dublin or the offices of An Taoiseach or the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, with regard to the process that was transpiring at that particular time and subsequent to the sale going through? What was Mr. McGuinness's involvement by way of notification given the opening line of his statement, which I appreciate, was to the effect that he had no involvement in this process other than a phone call?

Reference was made to a conversation between two staff members in Mr. McGuinness's office with regard to communications between the Offices of the First Minister and deputy First Minister. There was some interesting correspondence, as provided by Deputy Connolly, in terms of communications between both of those offices. Although the First Minister is not accountable to the Committee of Public Accounts of Dáil Éireann, which is not in question, this loan portfolio would have a significant impact on Northern Ireland and the property market there. Notwithstanding what Mr. Robinson had to say about not receiving an invitation, which I cannot question, I find it difficult to accept, and would welcome Mr. McGuinness's view on this, that the previous First Minister would not submit to attending the Committee of Public Accounts given the importance of this transaction in Northern Ireland, never mind that the discussion is taking place in the Republic. Perhaps Mr. McGuinness would respond first to my last question and work his way back.