Mr. Brendan McDonagh:

This has been discussed at many forums. The NTMA is the employer which seconds people to NAMA. For the most senior people the time is six months, for less senior it is three months. If people go on garden leave we have to pay them for that time. As the chairman said here recently, the view was taken that we would be criticised for paying someone to sit out for a year. The NTMA reviewed what was happening internationally and took the view that six months for the senior people was reasonable and three months was appropriate for the less senior people.