Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Thanks Chairman. The documents I am referencing, Chairman, are Vol. 1 page 21-25, a report from Barry Herriott, management consultants and also page 17, the Nyberg report, and they relate around that the report from Barry Herriott undertaking an external consultancy in 2003 noted that the directors felt that the board pack "failed to ignite debate in important issues" and many directors expressed frustration on need for more debate on strategic issues. And the Nyberg report, "there is little evidence that board directors at the time were active in challenging ... bank's approach [and] its pace of lending growth''. Now, do you agree with these observations? What's your opinion on them? Did you challenge management enough as non-executive directors? How do you describe the corporate culture of the board during your period on the board in terms of the interaction of the chair with the management ... generally, how the board was run?