Minister for Tourism and Sport, Dr Jim McDaid, is meeting Campus Ireland board tonight to discuss the Attorney General’s report into the awarding of a contract to run the National Aquatic Centre to a dormant British shelf company.
On his way into the meeting, Chairman and Chief Executive of the Campus Stadium Ireland Project, Mr Paddy Teehan, said this evening he would not resign.
Mr Teehan said he regretted that he did not tell the Government that Waterworld UK was a dormant company. He also said he would make a full statement to the Dáil Public Accounts Committee tomorrow.
The Cabinet discussed the content of the AG report this afternoon and asked for more time to consider its findings. It is understood the outcome of the Cabinet's deliberations could determine Mr Teehan future role.
Dr McDaid’s meeting with the Board tonight was arranged some time ago. The Minister is to report back to the Cabinet after the meeting.
Speaking to reporters this afternoon, Dr McDaid said Mr Teehan had showed a lack of caution in the way he handled the awarding of the Acqautic Centre contract.
He said the 60-page report from the Attorney General showed the awarding of the contract was legal and above board, but that Mr Teehan showed over-enthusiasm in the way in which he dealt with problems.
Meanwhile in the Dáil, the Taoiseach said the report would eventually be published, but that people who were mentioned in the draft report presented to Cabinet today had a right to see it first.
The main opposition parties have claimed the Government is attempting to avoid answering questions on the matter.
Labour leader Mr Ruairí Quinn said earlier today a series of questions on the matter which he had tabled for discussion in the Dáil had been transferred by the Taoiseach to the Minister for Tourism and Sport, Dr McDaid.
Mr Quinn said the Taoiseach was attempting to ensure the questions are not up for oral answer before the General Election.
Fine Gael’s Mr Charles Flanagan said a number of questions remain to be answered such as who were the beneficial owners of the British company and why did it divest itself of a major interest in the deal as soon as the contracts were signed.
The Attorney General, Mr Michael McDowell, presented his report to the Cabinet this morning on why Waterworld UK with equity of £4 was chosen to operate the centre at Abbotstown, Dublin.
Waterworld UK signed heads of agreement with Campus and Stadium Ireland Development (CSID) but took only a 5 per cent interest in Dublin Waterworld, the company which will operate the €62 million centre.
Eight days before the status of Waterworld UK was disclosed by The Irish Times, its directors applied to the Companies Office in Britain for the firm to be struck off the register.
A director, Mr Roger Currie, yesterday said the timing of that application was "absolutely coincidental" with media coverage about the company. In a statement, he said Waterworld UK was the "original catalyst" of the operating team that submitted the bid in partnership with a US-owned group, NBGS International.
The £4 sterling shareholding in Waterworld UK was held by a company registered in the British Virgin Islands, Ealing Trading Corp.
