Nama chief tells Oireachtas committee he was 'kicked around like a political football'

Brendan McDonagh on Wednesday appeared before the Oireachtas Finance Committee in his role as CEO of Nama, which will be wound down later this year, but much of the early questioning focused on the botched appointment. Picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

The head of Nama has told an Oireachtas committee he withdrew from the running to become the country's so-called housing tsar after being "kicked around like a political football".

Brendan McDonagh earlier this month withdrew from a mooted appointment as chief executive of the Government’s new housing activation office, after sharp criticism of him carrying his €430,000 Nama salary to the new role.