Th Taosieach has said "the Government has nothing to hide" in relation to the IBRC sale of Siteserv, as pressure mounts to launch a Commission of Investigation on the sale of assets by the former Anglo Irish Bank.
"What we’re doing now is looking at how this can be made to happen. The government have nothing to hide here at all and what we want is a facility that will allow for an independent analysis and examination of this matter," Enda Kenny said today in Brussels.
The Taoiseach's words come after the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) said he didn't have the legal powers to investigate as initially suggested by the Taoiseach.
Mr Kenny said the coalition are currently looking at what is the best form of inquiry.
"Clearly there are a number of options being considered here and that’s one of them," he added.
Finance Minister Michael Noonan says his department will review that over the coming days
The Finance Minister Michael Noonan says the C&AG can be given extra powers to investigate the IBRC sale of SiteServ - if he wants them.
The construction company was sold by the former Anglo Irish Bank to Denis O'Brien's Millington firm, at a loss to the taxpayer of €100m.
The Department of Finance will release further documents today or tomorrow, which will reveal more details about the transaction.
Mr Noonan and his officials are to spend the weekend investigating ways to produce a preliminary report on how the company was sold by IBRC.
He says that will be given to the C&AG, who will get extra powers over IBRC if he thinks the issue should be investigated.
Mr Noonan said he met the chairman of IBRC - Alan Dukes - on a number of occasions to discuss the sale.
And speaking to Limerick's Live 95FM, Mr Noonan said there is still no reason to doubt Mr Dukes when he says the sale was handled correctly.
While the Tánaiste Joan Burton has told the Dáil she believes there will be an independent inquiry into the sale of Siteserv by the former Anglo Irish Bank.
Ms Burton says she wants to see an independent inquiry by a competent authority, and that it is a matter of establishing what is the best form of inquiry.
For the third day running, Leaders' Questions has been dominated by the sale.
Ms Burton says she wants an inquiry, but what one is best needs to be decided.
Ms Burton has also indicated she would be open to changing the law to allow the State spending watchdog and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to examine the sale.
Yesterday in the Dáil, the Taoiseach Enda Kenny said the government would be happy for the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) to investigate the deal.
But the C&AG has told the PAC that he does not have the legal powers to investigate IBRC or its sale of Siteserv.
Ms Burton said those bodies should be able to examine the sale, and changing the law may be necessary.
While the deputy leader of Sinn Féin says the Tánaiste is kicking for touch in not establishing a full commission of investigation immediately.
And Mary Lou McDonald says the sale of Siteserv by the IBRC is not the only transaction that should be examined.
Speaking to Newstalk Lunchtime, the Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin says there are several issues to be considered.
Meanwhile the PAC is to begin its own inquiries into the handling by IBRC of the Siteserv sale.
The committee is asking the Department of Finance to release all its documents outlining concerns about Siteserv and other assets sold by IBRC.
Chairman John McGuinness says the committee could begin hearings with the department as early as next month.
Independent TD for North Kildare, Catherine Murphy, made the FOI requests in relation to the Siteserv sale.
She told Newstalk Breakfast she wants to see more transparency over deals conducted by IBRC.
