Written answers

Tuesday, 5 November 2013

Department of Finance

NAMA Property Sales

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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188. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will establish an independent mechanism where the sale of property and outlets by the National Asset Management Agency is reviewed and a report given to Dáil Éireann, or a nominated Dáil Committee, outlining the original perceived value of the property or outlet; the perceived value at point of same, the sale price and the value of the property/outlet now; if he will also include the person or company to whom it was sold; and for full accounting years to end 2013 and in future years. [46349/13]

Photo of Michael NoonanMichael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I do not intend to establish such a mechanism. NAMA does not sell property. Rather, property securing NAMA’s loans are sold by debtors and receivers. NAMA is subject to confidentiality obligations under sections 99 and 202 of the NAMA Act. It also has a commercial and statutory independent mandate and strategies applied in accordance with this mandate, including those relating to the sale of property, are a matter for the NAMA Board. As with the detailed business of other commercial State bodies, it would be inappropriate for members of the Oireachtas to become involved in the detail of individual transactions involving NAMA. It is my view also that the effect of the proposed mechanism would be to place NAMA and, by extension, Irish taxpayers, at a commercial disadvantage relative to banks and other competing deleveraging entities. There is also a risk that such a mechanism would discourage potential buyers from participating in NAMA-related sales.

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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189. To ask the Minister for Finance if a list of all properties handled and sold by the National Asset Management Agency is available; the total original value of the properties and the value for which they were sold; and if NAMA has made available to his Department the names of persons or companies that have bought properties from NAMA. [46350/13]

Photo of Michael NoonanMichael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I would remind the Deputy that, as Minister for Finance, I have no role in relation to strategies applied by the NAMA Board in fulfilling its commercial mandate and I do not intervene in the detail of NAMA’s business and I would consider it inappropriate to do so. More generally, the publication of information relating to individual NAMA sales, as suggested by the Deputy, would be in contravention of NAMA’s statutory duty of confidentiality; would place it and by extension Irish taxpayers at a commercial disadvantage relative to other deleveraging entities that would not be subject to similar requirements; and would ultimately reduce the expediency of NAMA’s sales and the value realised from these sales. The proposed measure would, therefore, have the effect of obstructing NAMA from achieving its statutory commercial mandate on behalf of Irish taxpayers.

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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190. To ask the Minister for Finance if there are any properties sold by the National Asset Management Agency where the full price for a property has not been received or discharged in full to NAMA by the buyer. [46351/13]

Photo of Michael NoonanMichael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by NAMA that there have been no cases to date where a purchaser’s contractual arrangements with NAMA have not been fulfilled.

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