Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I take it from his contribution that there will be a commission of investigation into NAMA and the sale of Project Eagle. The Minister will be aware that six months ago Sinn Féin provided terms of reference and will engage with the Taoiseach regarding ensuring the terms of reference are robust enough.

At a meeting at which I represented the party, we made the case very strongly that the commission of investigation would have to take a modular approach and Project Eagle be the initial module. However, other areas would need to come under the scope of the commission of investigation. I understand that viewpoint was shared by others at the meeting.

The minutes of the meeting that took place on 4 October stated that a commission of investigation should be established to allow for a modular approach, called for steps to be taken to establish the commission immediately, before the Committee of Public Accounts completed its report, and recommended that the commission not be sponsored by the Department of Finance. Can the Minister confirm that is still the position of the Department and the Government?

Is it the case that the commission of investigation will not be sponsored by the Department of Finance and will be modular? I ask the Minister to outline his views on whether the commission of investigation will be modular, which would allow for other areas outside the sale of Project Eagle to be included.

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