Doherty: I'm 'as sure as I can be' that claims about Denis O'Brien are accurate
The Opposition TD who claimed Denis O'Brien extended his IBRC loans after threatening legal action has insisted the allegation is accurate, and warned he will make more information public if needed.
Sinn Féin finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty said he is standing over the Dáil remarks, as IBRC's special liquidator KPMG said the claims are "wholly inaccurate", without giving further details.
Speaking as the Dáil voted in favour of the Government's Commission of Investigation terms of reference by 119 votes to 20, Mr Doherty said he is "as sure as I can be" his claims are "true and accurate".
Despite Finance Minister Michael Noonan and Jobs Minister Richard Bruton saying the inquiry will be able to investigate his claims, the Donegal TD and other Opposition politicians said this view is open to legal challenge.
During the first of a two-day debate on the terms last night, Mr Doherty told the Dáil he has 40 pages of documents showing Mr O Brien was turned down by IBRC's group credit committee three times - March 7, April 26 and June 21 - after asking for more time to repay a €315m loan.
The businessman had argued he had a "verbal agreement" with former IBRC CEO Mike Aynsley and board member Richard Woodhouse giving him three years from 2012 to pay the money back.
After being told his loans could be sold to a third party, Mr Doherty said under Dáil privilege Mr O'Brien said he would issue protective legal proceedings to prevent this if necessary - with the extension subsequently allowed.
Special liquidators KPMG said the claims are "wholly inaccurate and misleading" and do not "reflect the facts of this case".
However, speaking to reporters today, Mr Doherty said he is certain of his information.
"There has been suggestions the facts were misrepresented, if I have done that I would like someone to point out where," he said.
The opposition TD said his "sole" reason for making the information public was to highlight how issues occurred outside the investigation's January 21, 2009, to February 7, 2013, scope.
He said what was read into the Dáil reflects the information he has, adding he will "consider" making further details public under privilege if concerns continue the investigation is not wide enough.
The stand-off occurred as the Dáil voted in favour of the existing investigation terms of reference by 119 votes to 20 despite opposition from Sinn Féin, Renua Ireland, the Anti Austerity Alliance and Independents Roisin Shortall, Finian McGrath and Tommy Broughan.
Despite Finance Minister Michael Noonan, Children's Minister James Reilly, Transport Minister Paschal Donohue and Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan all insisting the terms go far enough, Opposition TDs repeatedly raised concerns.
They included People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett, who said the investigation needs to examine if the money Mr O Brien used to buy Siteserv was borrowed from "publicly owned bank" AIB at a time when the businessman owed €500m to IBRC.
After a tense exchange between Mr Flanagan and Fianna Fáil's Sean Fleming which saw the latter's references to a lack of action on the Moriarty Tribunal result in the Minister telling him to "say that outside the House", Independent TD Shane Ross listed a series of previous inquiries which failed to change anything and alleged the debate is "all about the election".
Fellow Independent TD Tommy Broughan said if the IBRC issues occurred in any other country Mr Noonan would be forced to resign.
At an earlier leaders questions debate, Jobs Minister Richard Bruton - who was speaking on behalf of Taoiseach Enda Kenny who was in Brussels - gave an "absolute assurance" Mr Doherty's claims fall within the scope of the inquiry.
The Cabinet member said the view is backed by the "robust" inquiry's terms which allow it to examine deals agreed before February 7, 2013, but not enacted until after this date, and separate advice from the attorney general.
However, both Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and Sinn Féin counterpart Gerry Adams insisted the "absolute assurance" cannot be trusted and is open to legal challenge.
Describing the assurance as a "falsehood" unless the terms specifically spell it out, Mr Martin said "a lot of issues are hanging out in the air, they can't hang out there forever".
Mr Adams was similarly critical, saying "€21.7bn in loans" by IBRC since February 7, 2013, which "dwarf" what will be examined.
Meanwhile, retired judge Daniel O Keeffe has been appointed to oversee the investigation.
The 72-year-old from Ennis is the current chair of the Standards in Public Office Commission, and former head of the second report of the public service benchmarking body in 2007 which provided pay the last pay rises before the economic crash.
The qualified chartered accountant was in the High Court from 2008 until 2013, and is also a member of the inquiry panel appointed by the Central Bank.
