Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

I thank An Cathaoirleach Gníomhach, Deputy Quaide, for his forbearance and allowing me to speak. I am very disappointed the Taoiseach is not here because this is a huge Vote and a huge amount of funding. There are many different aspects to it, in particular it deals with NAMA and Project Eagle, as was mentioned. There is also funding for the Moriarty tribunal, for which we are paying 30 years later. Some €850 million were supposed to be saved in one area with NAMA and yet we fail to see where those savings were teased out. There are extra costs in other sections. There is no rhyme nor reason to them. I am very disappointed, in that the Taoiseach was purportedly asked to come to the committee on finance to discuss this. After all, it is his Estimate, his Vote and his money. It should be dealt with.

On a number of occasions in this House, I have asked questions about NAMA as did former Deputy, Michael McGrath, in his time as finance spokesperson for the Minister of State's party. On two previous occasions in this House, I raised serious matters relating to the unauthorised use of Mr. John Fraher's personal tax number by NAMA and the Poppyfield Consortium partnership - VAT No. 9540943A - since the dissolution of the partnership on 3 December 2013.

That is a most serious thing to happen. This man has been trading in Clonmel for decades. He got into financial difficulties. He went into bankruptcy and moved to England. His tax number continued to be used. I put on the record that Mr. George Maloney, trustee in bankruptcy, appointed at the express request of NAMA, fraudulently used Mr. John Fraher's tax number in a dissolved partnership over a protracted number of years, related to Clonmel Park Hotel. Things are going on in NAMA and have gone on in NAMA, and history will not be kind to it. However, it will be too late for the taxpayers who are being bled dry here. It is shocking. This is supported by annual Revenue returns submitted by the dissolved partnership and knowingly false returns by NAMA in 2015. It is clearly shocking stuff. The former chairman, Frank Daly, chief executive, Brendan McDonagh, and head of legal, Alan Stewart, are all aware of the above and all are or were NAMA employees. What is going here, that this could go on? It was questioned by the finance spokesman of the Minister of State's party when he was in opposition. He is now a Commissioner. George Maloney now sits on the regulatory decisions unit of the Central Bank. His profile on the Central Bank website includes that he is included on the current insolvency and enforcement panels for NAMA and is a member of the Revenue Commissioners panel for expert witness and complex bank insolvency arrangements. I question it, my goodness. This is a white-collar crime, and I am calling for all disclosure on every transaction relating to Clonmel Park Hotel and the dissolved partnership after 13 December 2013. They are all fraudulent.

How can we have a debate here this evening? The presence of the Taoiseach is vital. Okay, maybe he has to be wherever he is. I have said in the past that he wants to be anywhere bar this Dáil, whether it is Ukraine, the WEF, the World Bank or the COP. He needs to cop on and know that his responsibility is to this House and to the people of Ireland. I met a person at a function in Buswells Hotel earlier who said that he was doing great duties all over the world. His profound and solemn duty under the Constitution is to be here. This has to be rooted out here. The corporate and white-collar crime is disgusting. It is John Fraher, a Clonmel businessman. His tax number could be used for several years when he was out of the country and had ceased trading. NAMA knows this. The Revenue knows this. The Department of Finance knows this. Who is going to deal with it? I do not expect the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, to deal with it. I do not expect that if the Taoiseach were here today, he would deal with it. It is going on for too long. Questions were asked by the former finance spokesman for Fianna Fáil, now Commissioner, when he questioned this on behalf of Mr. Fraher. How is that a businessman from Ireland was abroad and bankrupt and trying to trade abroad and his tax number was being used here? Millions of euro were shovelled through his tax number and tax returns, falsely. How can that stand up in any kangaroo or banana republic if we let that go on? We vote all this money for NAMA here. We vote all this money for all the different overspends and underspends that pass through with glib reference to what we should be doing. It is totally unacceptable. I thank the Chair for allowing me the time this evening.

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