Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the deputy First Minister and Mr. Mullan for attending this afternoon.

I am hugely interested in the earlier comments made by the deputy First Minister that challenged members of the Committee of Public Accounts that they were not exercised about several facts. First, that Peter Robinson met Frank Cushnahan and PIMCO. Second, on 24 March before the sale of Cerberus a further meeting took place between Peter Robinson and former US Vice President, Mr. Dan Quayle, without the presence of the deputy First Minister. In terms of that meeting, the deputy First Minister replied to Deputy Cullinane that there was clearly something else happening. Third, the claim has been made that in the aftermath of the sale of Project Eagle to Cerberus, Peter Robinson issued a statement welcoming the sale but he flew solo with his comment. I am hugely interested and exercised by the fact that the deputy First Minister is so exercised, as it naturally leads me to ask him whether he wishes to make further comments to the Committee of Public Accounts.

I am not interested in cheap headlines. The only headlines that I am interested in are the ones featured in my local newspaper called the Meath Chroniclebut it does not cover the meetings of the Committee of Public Accounts.

A couple of times I thought that the deputy First Minister was on the brink of offering more in respect of the context of the situation. He has framed a picture by virtue of his contributions but has not filled it in. Is there anything he would like to add to the three points I outlined?