Mr. Brendan McDonagh:

I remind the Deputy that they would not have been working for NAMA in the first place of they did not have the skills we needed. They might not have had the same level of knowledge when they were recruited. We have strategies for dealing with our 800 debtors until the time comes when all of them are ultimately realised. Very few people have access to information with a high level of detail. Having said that, people who are employed by the NTMA and assigned to NAMA are obliged to comply with the Official Secrets Acts. Their obligations under section 202 are of lifelong application - they are not confined to the duration of one's work with NAMA.

There are two aspects to the answer I will give to Deputy Nolan's question, which I was also asked at the launch of our annual report. The best way of ensuring no one can steal a march on anybody else is to ensure all the assets are openly marketed, in so far as practicable. If a particular legal issue arose, that would probably be the only exception. This approach means that everybody has the same access to the same information. When the Minister was asked the same question at the launch of our annual report at the end of May, he said he encourages the movement of people between the public and private sectors because it generates new ideas in the public sector. He also said it promotes a better understanding of the public sector on the part of the private sector. The reality is that people who work in NAMA have to give three months' notice when they resign. We have the option of putting them on gardening leave for that period. The reality is that we cannot stop someone from making a living. If we think somebody is using information inappropriately, there are mechanisms to deal with that under the present legislation.