Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

These are not allegations; these are statements of fact, and I can stand over them. The hotel is currently closed. It closed on 1 January. Staff were given a temporary layoff notice, ostensibly for the hotel to be renovated, but no renovation works have taken place.

The immigrant investor programme is a public programme. There are many concerns. There are several bodies that I believe we should write to in the short term in respect of the issues I have raised regarding the Nuremore Hotel, including the Revenue Commissioners, the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, the Health and Safety Authority and the Workplace Relations Commission. All should be keeping a close eye on this because it could result in a significant outlay for the State.

On the wider issues concerning the immigrant investor programme, my understanding is that it operates under the Department of Justice. My proposal on the work programme is that we include that Department and ask for staff from the relevant section that deals with the immigrant investor programme to be represented, because more general issues that have arisen. As I have said, there would potentially be a big financial outlay for the State if these cases were to unravel and cause reputational damage to the country, as well having immediate financial implications for insolvency-----