Foynes port company questioned on alleged irregularities in sale of lands

A CONFIDENTIAL report into alleged irregularities involving the sale of State lands by Shannon Foynes Port Company is to be given to the Oireachtas Committee on Transport.

The report, which was commissioned from consultant auditors Deloitte by the port company in 2007, has never been published but a copy has been given to the Minister for Transport, the Oireachtas committee heard last night.

Addressing the committee, chief executive Pat Keating and chairman Kieran O’Hanlon said they were precluded from commenting on the settlement terms of a High Court case involving a former chief executive, who was not named at the committee, but who was said to be in office in 2004.

They were precluded because of a confidentiality agreement made as part of the settlement.

However, committee members Fergus O’Dowd (FG) and Tommy Broughan (Lab) voiced concern that such agreements could preclude oversight of deals involving State assets.

Mr O’Dowd asked Mr Keating if it was true a site was offered for sale to only one bidder in contravention of disposal and procurement rules.

He further asked if it was true the State had lost a potential €10 million on the deal, and if the deal had been signed two weeks before the board of the port company met to approve it.

Mr O’Dowd also questioned whether a separate site “had been sold to Limerick racecourse”, again without recourse to proper procedures.

Mr Broughan asked the port company representatives if it was true that €110,000 had been paid for the hire of a boat and if the company which hired out the boat was owned by the former chief executive.

Mr Broughan also asked if it was true that the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation was looking into these matters.

Mr Keating and Mr O’Hanlon said they could not answer the deputies’ questions in a public forum for legal reasons but offered to come back and meet the committee at another time.