SF minister should stand down during Nama enquiry, Nesbitt says

Stormont's Finance Minister, Sinn Féin's Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, should stand aside while an independent investigation takes place into the Nama controversy, Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt has said.

Mr Nesbitt made the call after the former Sinn Féin chairman of the Assembly's Finance committee stepped aside last week over the alleged coaching of a witness who appeared before the committee and made claims about the sale of Nama's Northern Ireland portfolio.

“If Máirtín Ó Muilleoir had no knowledge and has no questions to answer, so be it. But the question is that the public are sitting going what on earth is going on, they’re at it again, they’re at it again,” Mr Nesbitt said.

“Is Máirtín Ó Muilleoir involved or not, that’s a legitimate question. It is legitimate to ask for an answer.”

Mr Ó Muilleoir has insisted he knew nothing of a party colleague’s controversial contact with a witness to an inquiry into Northern Ireland’s largest ever property deal.

He said those seeking to link him to the controversy that forced the resignation of Daithi McKay, the former Sinn Féin chairman of the Assembly’s Finance committee, were indulging in “petty party politicking”.

Mr McKay apologised and quit as an Assembly member last week after private Twitter messages published in the press showed him communicating with loyalist blogger Jamie Bryson ahead of his appearance before the committee's inquiry into the Nama loans deal.

Mr Bryson linked former DUP first minister Peter Robinson to the deal. Mr McKay has been suspended by Sinn Féin.

However, Mr Nesbitt told RTE’s Morning Ireland that it was a question of public confidence and the big question was: “was Daithi McKay on a solo run or did others in Sinn Féin know what he was doing and tacitly support him?

"I know Martin McGuinness has come out and said that Sinn Féin had no knowledge of it, but it's a default response of Sinn Fein to be into denial."

Mr Nesbitt said he was not accusing Mr Ó Muilleoir of anything, “but the fact is that he is named in this series of communications with the former chair and Jamie Bryson.

"The former chair clearly took an Olympic leap, beyond what is acceptable for a committee chair, the consequence of that is that the devolved institutions in Belfast have been lowered in the public's estimation."

The Ulster Unionist Party leader said it was a question of public confidence which could be bolstered if Mr Ó Muilleoir stood aside.

"Sinn Féin has many back benchers who have prior experience of being members of the Northern Ireland Executive so Sinn Féin wouldn't suffer. If someone stepped in that would expedite whatever independent enquiry we're going to decide on, to take a look at what happened between Jamie Bryson and Daithi McKay.

“If Máirtín is having to sit on the sidelines on the substitute’s bench I think that puts pressure on to get the enquiry done and dusted as quickly as possible.”

In a statement on Tuesday, Sinn Féin Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said Mr Ó Muilleoir had his “full confidence and support as Finance Minister”.

“Calls for him to stand aside are ridiculous and are nothing more than petty party politicking.”