Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:-
“I find it shocking that the DFP minister can’t say how many meetings her department and predecessors has had with Gareth Robinson or Frank Cushanan or Ian Coulter.
“When I asked the DFP minister in an Assembly Question to list the ministerial meetings held with Frank Cushnahan, Gareth Robinson and Ian Coulter, the answer which came back does not deny such meetings, but claims the cost of collating the information would be disproportionate as the information is not held centrally! All of which suggests to me there have been too many such meetings to keep track of.
“Why have such meetings been held? Yet another unanswered NAMA question.
Question: To ask the Minister of Finance and Personnel to list the date and purpose of all ministerial and/or departmental meetings held in the last five years with a) Mr Ian Coulter; b) Mr Frank Cushnahan; and c) Mr Gareth Robinson.
Answer: This information is not held centrally and the cost involved in collating it would be disproportionate.
“This comes on top of the convenient but suspicious absence of any records in DFP of its meetings with Cerberus. This is confirmed in this Assembly Question and Answer:
Question: To ask the Minister of Finance and Personnel, pursuant to AQW 48343/11-16, to detail the purpose of the ministerial meeting in March 2014 with Cerberus.
Answer: My Department does not hold records on the content of this meeting.
“Then, there is the issue of the contention of some that the Executive was kept informed on NAMA issues. How is that contention squared with this answer from DFP:-
Question: To ask the Minister of Finance and Personnel whether references in the letter of 24 June 2013 from the Minister to Michael Noonan TD on the subject of NAMA to the Executive, means the subject matter of the correspondence had been discussed within and by the Executive.
Answer: There is no record of the sale of NAMA’s Northern Ireland loan portfolio having been tabled as an agenda item for discussion at Executive meetings around the time in question, nor the content of any wider briefings provided to Executive colleagues.
“Patently, DFP needs to come clean on all its dealings which are NAMA related.”