Collins knew about wife's interest in site before Limerick council meeting

Junior Minister for Higher Education Niall Collins is making a statement in the Dáil to address the circumstances around his wife's purchase of a site in Patrickswell, Limerick in 2008. Picture: oireachtas.ie

Junior Minister Niall Collins did know that his wife had expressed interest in a site in Patrickswell before it was discussed by a Limerick County Council area committee meeting in 2007.

Mr Collins addressed the Dàil two weeks ago about the disposal of the site which was later purchased by Mr Collins wife Eimear O'Connor. He has maintained that he did not break any laws or guidelines while on the council.

Speaking today at Government Buildings in his first media appearance since the controversy, Mr Collins told The Irish Examiner that he did know that his wife had expressed interest in the site in December 2006.

He accepted that he should have recused himself from the meeting, but denied that his wife's interest constituted a "material" matter.

Mr Collins said that the Dàil was not the forum to decide if he had broken any rules and that the issue would be discussed by SIPO, an investigation which is "in train".