The chairman of the Public Accounts Committee has accused the government of 'misleading' people over inquiries into the sale of SiteServ.

The government last night voted down plans for a Commission of Investigation into how SiteServ was sold by IBRC.

Earlier, Minister for Finance Micheal Noonan said he won't stop a Dáil committee from examining the sale of SiteServ if they want to.

But John McGuinness says it's not fair to say that - because committees like the PAC just don't have the power to investigate:

Minister for Finance says he won't stop a Dáil committee from examining the sale of SiteServ if they want to.

But Michael Noonan has again been forced to defend the internal review of the SiteServ deal by the liquidators of IBRC, and is taking questions in the Dáil this morning.

Minister Noonan says anything the government does won't affect the rights of Oireachtas committees to run their own inquiries if they want to:

Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin yesterday said a Commission of Investigation could be set up to investigate the sale of SiteServ.

He said a further inquiry would be only be ordered if an internal inquiry uncovers some evidence of wrongdoing.

He was speaking as the Dáil voted down a Fianna Fáil proposal for a Commission of Investigation into the sale by IBRC to Denis O'Brien's Millington.

He said the opposition would complain if a Commission was set up - because it probably wouldn't report back until after the election.