Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)

Níl aon leithscéalta faighte againn. We have received apologies from Deputy Ged Nash. Is mian liom na riachtanais bhunreachtúla seo a leanas a mheabhrú do chomhaltaí agus páirt á glacadh acu i gcruinnithe poiblí. Caithfidh comhaltaí a bheith i láthair go fisiciúil laistigh de theorainneacha shuíomh Theach Laighean. Ní cheadóidh mé do chomhaltaí páirt a ghlacadh i gcruinnithe poiblí nuair nach bhfuil siad ag cloí leis an riachtanas bunreachtúil seo. Mar sin, má dhéanann aon chomhalta iarracht páirt a ghlacadh ó lasmuigh den suíomh, iarrfaidh mé orthu an cruinniú a fhágáil. Maidir leis seo, iarraim ar chomhaltaí a dheimhniú go bhfuil siad i láthair laistigh de phurlán Theach Laighean sula ndéanann siad aon ionchur sa chruinniú ar MS Teams.

Fiafraítear de chomhaltaí cleachtadh parlaiminte a urramú, nár chóir, más féidir, daoine nó eintiteas a cháineadh ná líomhaintí a dhéanamh ina n-aghaidh ná tuairimí a thabhairt maidir leo ina ainm, ina hainm nó ina n-ainmneacha ar shlí a bhféadfaí iad a aithint. Chomh maith leis sin, fiafraítear díobh gan aon rud a rá a d’fhéadfaí breathnú air mar ábhar díobhálach do dhea-chlú aon duine nó eintiteas. Mar sin, dá bhféadfadh a ráitis a bheith clúmhillteach do dhuine nó d'eintiteas aitheanta, ordóidh mé dóibh éirí as an ráiteas láithreach. Tá sé ríthábhachtach go ngéillfidh siad don ordú sin láithreach.

I advise members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex in order to participate in public meetings. I will not permit a member to participate when he or she is not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Therefore, members who attempt to participate from outside the precincts will be asked to leave the meeting. In this regard, I ask any member participating via MS Teams to confirm that he or she is on the grounds of the Leinster House campus prior to making a contribution to the meeting.

Members and witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. If their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks and it is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

The joint committee is engaging with the National Treasury Management Agency, NTMA, to discuss matters relating to its operation. The committee has invited the NTMA in to discuss its roles with NAMA, specifically: the special liquidation of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, IBRC; the dissolution of NAMA; the retention and-or destruction of the records of the IBRC and NAMA; the ongoing unresolved cases within NAMA; the staffing arrangements following the dissolution of NAMA; the current assets under NAMA's ownership; and to receive an update on NAMA's commission of investigation report. Additionally, the committee has an interest in the NTMA's just published annual report 2024 and the recent issues relating to fraud and phishing, including policy and procedures around the detection and prevention of fraud. At this juncture, it is important to note that there are substantial grounds to recommend that the committee does not discuss the broader case and circumstances where there is an ongoing Garda investigation. We spoke about this earlier. Members can, however, examine the processes and practices that lead to the situation where such a fraud could occur.

In this context, I welcome to the meeting Mr. Frank O'Connor, chief executive; Mr. Ian Black, chief financial and operating officer; Mr. Nick Ashmore, director, Ireland Strategic Investment Fund; and Mr. Ciarán Breen, director, State Claims Agency. I invite Mr. O'Connor to make his opening statement.