Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

It is complete nonsense and has no basis in either law or reality. If they even half-believed their own propaganda, one would think that they might have tried bringing forward this motion back in January or February when the purchase was announced, rather than waiting to do it a matter of days before the closing date, when there is not a remote possibility of any inquiry being completed before the hand-over of the site. The whole idea behind this resolution is a complete charade. The gentlemen opposite know this is a farce, but it is of a piece with their whole approach to Opposition over the past eight years. To put it politely, they deal more in shadow than in substance.

I have no doubt the Comptroller and Auditor General will in due course conduct a formal review of the purchase of Thornton Hall. I would welcome such a review because it would allow the facts to emerge. The matter will also undoubtedly be discussed by the Committee of Public Accounts and that is as it should be.

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