Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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First, I welcome the suggestion by the Taoiseach that this matter might be dealt with by the PAC and, by extension, I presume that, if legislation was required, such legislation would be provided. It is something that we have been expressing to some degree in regard to some of the limitations on our work. If that can be enhanced by an extension through legislation, that should be welcomed and we should seek to have a considerable input to that legislation.

Second, in regard to Siteserv, IBRC was a bank that went into State ownership and Siteserv was a construction services company that, likewise, would have come into State ownership because all the debts were taken over by the State. Is it possible that Siteserv could be looked at as an entity in its own right, distinct from IBRC? I know there are ramifications and, obviously, linkages which are substantial. However, in its own right, is Siteserv, as an entity that was in the possession of the State before it was sold off, not something that the Comptroller and Auditor General could examine, as distinct from IBRC? It is hard to make that distinction.