Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform

Operations and Functions: National Asset Management Agency

4:30 pm

Mr. Brendan McDonagh:

At that time, in 2012, Ireland was not that attractive to international buyers. We had only sold less than €1 billion worth of assets in the Irish market up to the end of 2012 because prices were plummeting at that time. It was openly marketed. The price was the best price that could be achieved at the time. The receiver had a legal obligation to get the best price. He got that after it had been openly marketed. The fact that 18 months later the market has changed, the economy has experienced a dramatic turnaround, and there is strategic development zone, SDZ, planning in place, which did not exist in 2012, were contributing factors, and there was a special purchaser.