Nama deal: Cerberus had 'contact' with four DUP politicians and Martin McGuinness

Cerberus, the US investment fund, had "contact" with four senior DUP politicians, and the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.

Cerberus said it "had contact to varying extents" with Peter Robinson, Simon Hamilton, Arlene Foster, Nigel Dodds and Mr McGuinness.

The details are contained in a submission to the finance committee.

The committee is investigating the circumstances of the fund's purchase of Nama's Northern Ireland loan book.

It said these contacts were part of its "due diligence" of the Northern Ireland economy and as "ongoing liaison with stakeholders in the jurisdiction".

The interactions involved senior Cerberus staff, including former US Vice President Dan Quayle.

The firm said the "substantive discussions" prior to its purchase of the Nama loans focused on its approach to the investment, its management of the portfolio and its effect on the economy.

Nama sold its Northern Ireland property portfolio to US investment firm Cerberus last year

It does not disclose the dates of the contacts and whether they were meetings or phone calls.

Cerberus said it also prepared a letter to be presented to the Northern Ireland Executive prior to its bid.

This was to lay out its investment and operational intentions if the bid was successful.

It stated its approach to borrowers including an indication it would be willing to waive guarantees for cooperative borrowers.

Mr McGuinness said: "My only contact with Cerberus was a courtesy meeting months after the Cerberus deal with Nama and in line with my responsibilities as Deputy First Minister.

"This was a routine engagement and was in the public domain."