Banker: There were unusual features in Project Eagle deal

An international investment banker who advised Nama on the controversial multibillion-euro Project Eagle sales process has admitted there were several “unusual features” in the deal.

Patrick Long of private firm Lazard made the claim during a Dáil meeting which saw him accused of being made “an eejit of” by the state property group after his company was “kept in the dark” over serious concerns surrounding the sale.

Speaking to the cross-party Public Accounts Committee, Mr Long said while he believes no rules were broken and that a “competitive sales process” was in place throughout the deal, he accepts the structure of the deal did not stick to normal processes.