Results 6,661-6,680 of 7,975 for speaker:Joe Higgins

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (21 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: But does this beg the question whether PricewaterhouseCoopers went behind what the banks just said to them and delved deeply into the background information?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (21 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: But were decisions made on the basis of that report with regard to, you know, continuing the guarantee that proved to be far more costly than might have been the case if the true state of affairs had been known in the end of September of 2008?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (21 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: Mr. Hurley, you finished your statement to the inquiry and I quote:There was a strong view on the night that the Government had one opportunity to assuage the markets. If the decisions taken were considered inadequate and failed the consequences for the banking system would be devastating and lead to very serious economic and social fallout for the country as a whole. I will just repeat one...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (21 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: But even in the course of that reconfiguration, Mr. Hurley, and in the course of all that went on towards bailing out these entities, etc., and in relation to decisions that the Central Bank made, the question that is routinely put by commentators all over the media and everywhere else is ... is this measure or that measure enough to satisfy the markets? Is ... is ... are these cuts to...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (21 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: Yes, but it seems to be the case, or does it, that massive financial institutions, unelected and faceless, wield far more power over governments than the people who elect those governments? Would that be a fair assessment?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (21 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: Mr. Hurley, on Thursday, 20 March there was an Anglo Irish Bank board meeting by conference call. In chapter 10 of a book called Anglo Republicby a financial journalist, Simon Carswell, who appeared at this inquiry, he states: “Later that afternoon, Drumm [which is David Drumm, the chief executive officer of Anglo] placed a call to John Hurley and pleaded with him to release a...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (21 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: Yes.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (21 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: Yes, but did you run a statement past the chief executive of Anglo bank for approval?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (21 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: But Mr. Carswell says-----

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (21 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: Yes. This ... he says the two statements emerged, one from you and one from the Financial Regulator later on that day.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (21 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: Just the last question perhaps, Chair.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (21 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: On Wednesday, 17 September 2008 there was an Anglo board meeting ... page 36 of the core document, Vol. 3, but it's not necessary. "the Chairman and Chief Executive [I quote] should meet with the senior officials in the Central Bank and explain the dire consequences not just for the bank but for Ireland as a whole, should they not act quickly to re-establish liquidity". Did you meet the...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (21 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: And then, Mr. Hurley, on Thursday, 25 September, there's an extensive minute of the board meeting of the Central Bank, it's page 33 of Vol. 3, core. I won't quote them because they're too extensive but what we have is an extensive outlining essentially of the bank guarantee that came to pass the following week ... and one sentence says: "A senior management member of the CB advised the...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (21 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: And the ... so, in reality, the Central Bank had virtually decided already that week that there would be a guarantee-----

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (21 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: The last sentence of that tranche was: "There would be a need to talk to two banks who to date been negative on such a proposal".

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (21 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: The last thing then, just to sum up the day, Mr. Hurley, in a sense. €64 billion of private bank and bondholders' debts was put on to the shoulders of the Irish people, which was private debt by private entities, by decision of the Government with the full support of yourself and the Central Bank. After seven years of austerity, hardship for our people, as a result of that decision-----

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (21 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: ----was it moral or just or defensible that such a decision was taken?

Leaders' Questions (26 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: Do not use that term.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (26 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: 2. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet sub-committee on health last met. [3366/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Irish Language (26 May 2015)

Joe Higgins: 7. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet sub-committee on Irish and the Gaeltacht last met. [3367/15]