Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Of course there is.

It was not mentioned and it is unfair to selectively quote from a letter on a serious matter like this without giving the full context. As such, I am now reading to the committee the letter dated 18 November 2016 from Mr. Ronnie Hanna to Mr. Lenihan, the clerk of the Committee of Public Accounts, Leinster House, Dublin 2:

Re C&AG's Special Report No. 94 - National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle

I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 14^thNovember which arrived at my home on 17^thinst.

I regret that I have to decline the invitation to attend for two reasons:

1. I remain under a statutory duty of confidentiality arising from my former employment with NAMA. I have not received any communication from that organisation that I am at liberty to divulge details of any activities in which I was engaged while in their employ.

2. A more fundamental reason for declining the invitation is that I was arrested on allegations of bribery, misconduct in public office and conspiracy to defraud. I vehemently denied all of those allegations. I was subjected to an interview under caution under the Police and Criminal Evidence Order.

While I was initially released on police bail, that has now been removed although I have not yet received any indication from the NCA/PSNI or the Public Prosecution Service that I am no longer a suspect.

Until such time as I have been informed that I am no longer a suspect and therefore, remain under caution, I cannot make any statement about the activities under consideration without the protections afforded by the above legislation.

I regret that I am obliged to refuse and wish to assert that I mean no discourtesy to your Committee and the Oireachtas.

Yours sincerely,

RONNIE HANNA.

It is fair that the whole transcript be read in and not partial quotes of the letter.