Political intrigue is like quicksand, in that while it might start off as an innocuous piece of information it can quickly engulf you in controversy if it is not quickly and definitively addressed.
Last Wednesday, The Ditch website reported on the sale of the site by Limerick County Council to Mr Collins' wife Eimear O'Connor in September 2008.
While Mr Collins had left the council 16 months before the sale, he was a member of the council when it agreed to initially place the site on the market in January 2007.
Last night, Mr Collins broke his public silence to say "neither I nor my wife had any pecuniary or beneficial interest in that property" in January 2007 - an issue which is now being scrutinised by Dáil opponents.
This morning, Limerick County Council publicly released Freedom of Information (FOI) documents relating to the case which had been requested by RTÉ News last Thursday.
While the background to the story is complex and involves dozens of property documents and meeting minutes, five key stages are central to understanding what has happened and what may happen next.
The first interaction
While the situation now surrounding Mr Collins only became apparent this year, its beginning is a generation ago.
On 15 December 2006, Limerick solicitor Patricia O'Connor wrote to Limerick County Council's Department of Housing to express an interest in a specific site on Main Street in Patrickswell.
Ms O'Connor said she was writing on behalf of "a client", whose name has been redacted in FOI documents.
She said her client "wishes to provide a centre in Patrickswell to provide a service" - the details of which have also been redacted - and asked the council to explain how the land could be purchased as at that time it was in public ownership.
Council agrees to put the site on the market
A few weeks later, on 15 January 2007, the issue was raised at Limerick County Council's Bruff electoral area committee meeting.
The meeting minutes of that meeting show councillors were told there had been "a number of enquiries to purchase a parcel of land at Main Street in Patrickswell".
And they were also told the site was three quarters of an acre and had "very limited use as an open space".
As such, it was agreed by the Bruff electoral area committee to place the site "on the open market" and that officials would update "the meeting again for further consideration".
That 15 January 2007 meeting was attended by seven councillors, including Mr Collins.
Mr Collins did not table the motion or second it.
The meeting minutes are unclear if a formal vote took place, but no objections were raised to the decision.
What happened to the property in 2007
Files released today by Limerick County Council show the Patrickswell site was advertised for sale twice in the Limerick Leader in January and February 2007.
On 22 March 2007 the council was told by the auctioneer working on its behalf that a €110,000 bid had been made for the land by solicitor Patricia O'Connor's client.
The council was told there has been "good interest to date", with handwritten notes saying offers then increased to €120,000 by May 2007.
On 28 September 2007 the council was told the "proposed purchaser" was given planning permission for a medical centre and a first floor office, before the site went to sale agreed in autumn 2007.
The importance of May 2007 and what happened after that date
Mr Collins left Limerick County Council when he became a TD in May 2007's general election.
As such, he was not involved in any council business after this point.
In September 2008 - 16 months later - the site was finally purchased by solicitor Patricia O'Connor's client for €148,000.
It is worth noting the site was initially due to be a medical centre with a first floor office.
But on 22 April 2020 the council was told the owner of the site was now requesting permission for a five unit turnkey property.
Today
The above is the background to the developing story around the Patrickswell site.
Last night, Niall Collins broke his silence on the issue and released a statement to say "neither I nor my wife had any pecuniary or beneficial interest in that property" when it was discussed by the council in January 2007.
He said at the time of the sale in September 2008, he was no longer a member of the council.
Minister for Health and Fianna Fáil TD Stephen Donnelly publicly defended his colleague when speaking with RTÉ News this morning.
But Opposition TDs including Rise-Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy and Social Democrats TD for Dublin North West Róisín Shortall have said he has further questions to answer.
At lunchtime, Tánaiste and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said Mr Collins has not broken any law but will make himself available to address the Dáil on the issue.
It is the second time this year Mr Collins has, whether rightly or wrongly, faced scrutiny over historic property issues first raised by The Ditch website.
Fully answer any outstanding questions and the issue may yet be resolved. Don't, and the quicksand of political intrigue may tighten its grip.
