Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 16 November 2016

Public Accounts Committee

Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (Resumed)

12:30 pm

Photo of Mary Lou McDonaldMary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I appreciate that the deputy First Minister is still very sore as regards that breach of faith.

Looking at the circumstances now can I put two questions to him? Deputy Noonan is the line Minister in the Southern Administration that has responsibility for NAMA. The deputy First Minister has made it clear, and I respect his position, that he is not here to criticise Deputy Noonan. He knew about the success fees or fixers' fees. Does the deputy First Minister have a view on what the Minister, Deputy Noonan, might have done?

NAMA knew or discovered that Frank Cushnahan had relationships with debtors who accounted for 50% of the Project Eagle portfolio. Does the deputy First Minister have a view on the matter? NAMA said to us in its review that it could not have moved to remove Frank Cushnahan, in any event, because it would have caused so much trouble north of the Border. Can the deputy First Minister comment on the matter?

I hope that the deputy First Minister does not mind answering my final question. Looking back on it now, does he regret, notwithstanding the difficult relationships, that he did not demand from the DUP, and Peter Robinson in particular, a more complete picture of what was going on with the portfolio?