Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I confirm that neither I nor any official in the Department of Finance was aware of the contents of the tapes which have emerged in the media until now. The contents of the tapes were not raised with my Department by the board or management of IBRC and my attention has not been drawn to any Government member, staff, adviser or associate of the Department who was previously made aware of the content of the tapes. I am further advised that the Central Bank was not aware of the tapes or the content contained therein until the recent publication.

I am advised that the tapes have previously been provided by Anglo Irish Bank-IBRC to the Garda and a number of other authorities involved in investigations relating to Anglo Irish Bank. I also understand the recordings have been provided by way of discovery in certain legal proceedings involving IBRC.

From the date of the nationalisation of Anglo Irish Bank on 16 January 2009, the Minister for Finance directed the bank to co-operate fully with all regulatory investigations. I am advised by the bank that it is fully co-operating and in that context the bank has provided originals and copies of large data sets under compulsion and court order to the Chartered Accountants Regulatory Body, the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, the then Financial Regulator and the Nyberg banking commission. In particular, the bank has informed me of the following matters.

In 2009, the ODCE seized under court search warrant approximately 3 million electronic documents and in excess of 5,000 original hard-copy documents. In 2009, the Financial Regulator compelled the production of approximately 45,000 hard copy documents and approximately 9 million electronic documents. The electronic material remains in the possession of the bank as the Financial Regulator investigation was deferred in 2009 pending DPP proceedings. In 2010, the Garda bureau of fraud investigation under court order received significant quantities of electronic and hard-copy documents and recordings requested in respect of 18 employees of the bank whose lines were recorded. In 2010, the bank was compelled to provide large volumes of electronic and hard-copy material to the Nyberg banking commission. Minutes of meetings as requested were provided to CARB, the ODCE, the GBFI, the banking commission and the Financial Regulator. In civil litigation copies of various items including certain recordings were provided to parties to such litigation.

I am advised that the special liquidators are taking the leaking of this material very seriously and have written to the Garda and the Data Protection Commissioner in that respect. They have written to all parties whom they know have access to this material and I am also advised that the special liquidators intend to appoint an independent party to investigate if the leak came from IBRC or KPMG. These investigations are ongoing.

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