Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Let me quote from the Minister's speech in the Dáil last night. He stated: "The Committee of Public Accounts has accepted my long-standing position derived from law that in these circumstances, it was not within the powers of the Minister for Finance to direct NAMA to halt the sale process." Let us make that quite clear. Let me repeat, the minute of the meeting with Cerberus is available on the Department of Finance's website for everybody to read. It does show that the Minister has not acted in appropriately at all. Let us make that quite clear.

I will be happy to accept Senator Kelleher's motion and I was hoping to second it but I understand that Senator Ó Ríordáin has done so. I commend her for raising this issue.

Senators Richmond and Reilly raised the issue of JP Morgan, which we hope will come to Dublin. I think Senator Richmond's comment in regard to the capital plan post-Brexit is something that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy O'Donohoe, will be happy to come to the House to discuss. It is an important discussion to have.

Senator Gallagher again raised the issue of the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust. I think the requests are reasonable in terms of expediting the charitable application. I am sure we can sit down as a cross-party grouping and work out a mechanism whereby we can go to the Department to see if we can get some financial assistance for that case.

Senators Gavan, Davitt, Ned O'Sullivan and Wilson raised the issue of Irish Water. I commend Senator Wilson for stating the facts. In the North, where Sinn Féin is in government, there are two regimes, regional and district, and Sinn Féin is party to the imposition of double taxation on Irish people in the North.