Results 3,241-3,260 of 4,414 for speaker:Sean Barrett

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: That's why-----

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: Yes. The quote that I had from professor John FitzGerald at the beginning, he said that is ... that people were less interested in technical detail and more concerned about the politics of situations; that was John's description of .. of the people in the Department of Finance. Is ... was that a contributor?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: Certainly. John FitzGerald's quote, "There was a cultural change in the Department of Finance in the last decade. It became more concerned about the politics of things and less interested in technical detail." And, therefore, he said he would have less interaction.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: Yes.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: Thanks very much, Chairman, and thanks again, Mr. Moran. We've looked at this in this committee, Mr. Moran, at, you know, changes in corporate culture among bankers, auditors, builders, bank regulators, better relationships with the EU and the ECB and so on. And while supporting what you tried to do in the Department of Finance, I could name three projects today where not an ounce of...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: So, have we changed enough in those corporate cultures? Thanks, Chair.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: Was it necessary ... you don't like the split in the Department you say, was it necessary though to do that, to have two Ministers for Finance at a Cabinet?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: Thank you very much. Thanks, Chairman.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: Thank you, Chairman, and welcome Mr. Moran. The reforms that you've been introducing, indeed over your entire period from 1989 until your appointment as Secretary General, how have you addressed the perceived shortcomings in areas like fiscal strategy, for example?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: And budgetary policy, and sorry for rushing you-----

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: -----a bit-----

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: ----- what's changed there?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: The changes and improvements in budgetary policy.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: The relations with the Central Bank, you know that ... shouldn't your predecessors have been saying, "Hey, you know, thanks for all that advice on how to run the Department of Finance and Central Bank. If you guys stopped increasing credit at 25% a year"-----

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: You know, should the advice have been two-way? Would you advise ... would you think now, monetary and fiscal policy should be integrated in a way in which they apparently weren't, leading up to the crisis?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: Are the reforms assured?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: And, finally, just on page 4 of your witness statement, you refer to the seconded economist from the Central Bank. How does the Department of Finance ensure the independence of a secondee from his or her previous role, say, in the Central Bank?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: And capture ... you're protected against capture you said, yes.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (18 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: Yes. Thank you very much. And thank you, Chairman.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2015)

Sean Barrett: I am concerned by reports that local authorities are imposing extremely high levies on new house construction at a time when such construction is needed to meet housing demand and rents are rising to record levels. The report last Sunday from the National Asset Management Agency, NAMA, told us there was a €60,000 levy on each new house and a levy on construction of €351,774 per...