Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I absolutely have an appetite for the truth. That is why the commission of inquiry was established. I look forward to it completing its work and making its findings, and I will not jump to conclusions. A commission of investigation has been established by this Oireachtas. It will carry out its inquiries and produce its findings. I ask Deputy Wallace not to jump to conclusions either. The purpose of setting up an investigation or inquiry is so that that inquiry or investigation can consider all of the facts, interview people and then come to its conclusions at the end of doing that.

The interim report of the Cooke commission, which I read only a week or two ago, does not make any findings against NAMA. It is largely a progress report on the work he is doing. He has requested an extension and that extension is being agreed. While there are certainly concerns in the report relating to the speed at which information and documents have been provided to the commission, he does not say that his work is being obstructed. That certainly was not in the document I read.

It might be worth noting for the House that Cabinet today approved the annual accounts and quarterly report of NAMA. They indicate that NAMA has done the job it was asked to do. It was asked to recover money for the taxpayer as a consequence of the property collapse and, as the Deputy knows, the property collapse cost the taxpayer a lot of money and not just people involved in that business. The report from NAMA confirms that it has now redeemed 100% of the senior bonds issued, which is in excess of €30 billion in senior bonds.

It now expects that the surplus when NAMA is wound down over the next couple of years, and it will be wound down, will exceed its initial projections. It will be closer to €3 billion, and that will be remitted to the taxpayer.

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