Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)

I have two questions for the Taoiseach. Tá a fhios agam gur cuireadh ráiteas amach inné faoi dtaobh den Bhille Gaeltachta. Cén uair a mbeidh an Bille seo foilsithe, cén uair a mbeidh sé ag dul tré Thithe an Oireachtas agus cén uair a thuigeann an Taoiseach a mbeidh deireadh le Bord Údarás na Gaeltachta mar atá sé tofa go daonlathach agus go mbeidh sé á cheapadh? An féidir leis an Taoiseach eolas a thabhairt don Teach ar an cheist sin?

The second question relates to the promised legislation to extend the remit of the Freedom of Information Act to a number of bodies. I wish to focus in particular on the extension of freedom of information to the National Asset Management Agency, NAMA. It is crucial that this is brought before the House as soon as possible. I would hazard a guess that no party or Deputy would oppose the extension of freedom of information to NAMA, given that the agency is handling billions of euro worth of assets on behalf of the State. It was revealed a fortnight ago that NAMA would set up another agency - a qualified investment fund - within itself. Yesterday Deputy Gerry Adams revealed that in the last two years €27.5 million had been spent by NAMA on legal advice. NAMA will now set up another agency within itself which will be able to acquire assets from the agency which in the first instance it acquired from the banks. These assets will all have to be revalued by the same legal professionals. Arthur Cox was paid €3 million in legal expenses and we know it carried out work for the banks that had not even been tendered for. We know the Department for Finance has given money to other agencies for work that was not tendered for. There is, therefore, a need to lift the hood on NAMA. When will the promised legislation to extend the Freedom of Information Acts to NAMA be brought forward and why does the Minister not sign a ministerial order to give effect to it immediately?

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