Results 8,281-8,300 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (25 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: I welcome Mr. Murphy and Mr. Vaughan and I thank them for their time. I will start on the issue of the reliance of the Irish Examineron income from property related advertising. Mr. Murphy indicated 7% of the total revenues of the Irish Examinerwere accounted for by property related advertisements. I appreciate Mr. Murphy is not required to give us commercial data in that sense. However,...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (25 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: Would it have varied much from the early 2000s up to the peak of 2006 or 2007?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (25 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: The witnesses that are to come from Independent News and Media, for example, have put on the record that of their total advertising revenue in 2002, approximately 11% was property related and that the figure increased up to approximately 17% in 2006. However, Mr. Murphy does not wish to go any further in respect of the Irish Examiner. Is that the case?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (25 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: That is fine. I am keen to discuss the issue of the Chinese wall between the editorial side and the commercial side. Mr. Vaughan gave a rather direct answer to Deputy O'Donnell to the effect that at no stage was there any interference from the commercial side on any editorial decision made on his side of the house. Is that the case?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (25 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: Mr. Vaughan has provided details of various articles and editorials that appeared in the Irish Examinerduring the years in question. These articles were to varying degrees critical of, questioned or contrary to the views that were popular at the time. Were Mr. Vaughan or Mr. Murphy ever contacted by anyone in government, for example, or any politician who made it known to them that such...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (25 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: They might raise issues about the balance of coverage. Is that it?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (25 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: We will not go down that road today. We know that The Irish Timesbought myhome.ie, the property website, in 2006 for approximately €50 million. It was reported that a number of media organisations were involved in potentially buying it or negotiating for it. Was the Irish Examinerinvolved at the time? Was it interested in expanding into property related websites?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (25 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: A pitch was made on behalf of the vendor and some discussions may have been entered into. Is that correct?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (25 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: Mr. Murphy stated in his opening remarks that the editor's brief from the board is to publish views without fear or favour and that he must be aware of influencers given the nature of his role. What did Mr. Murphy mean by this? Who is he referring to as influencers? He referred to influences as well.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (25 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: Let us consider the weekend property supplement, for example. There are certain features or articles written about properties which are advertised for sale in the supplement. How do they get chosen? I presume they are advertisement-led. Will Mr. Vaughan set out from an editorial point of view what influences the selection of the individual properties that feature?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (25 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: Yes.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (25 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: So Mr. Vaughan is saying is it is not always advertisement-led - it is not always geared to the advertisement of the property in the supplement.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (25 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: Does Mr. Vaughan believe that the Irish Examinerwas sufficiently welcoming of contrarian views during the years leading up to the crisis - that he was quite open to publishing the views of people who may not have been mainstream but whose views would have been pilloried by those in the establishment?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (25 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: There was no one knocking on Mr. Vaughan's door saying "This is going badly wrong."

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (25 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: Mr. Vaughan made the point on more than one occasion in his opening statement to the effect that he had faith as such in the institutions in place to monitor and regulate the financial institutions on behalf of the State. Can Mr. Vaughan elaborate on that? Is it his view that too deferential an approach was taken within the media - that it was not challenging enough?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (25 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: Again, it is directed to Mr. Vaughan. Is there a policy, from an editorial perspective, on the acceptance of hospitality and gifts by journalists from people who may be the subject of their writing, whether it be those in financial institutions or those in the property industry? Is there a company-wide policy for people who are involved in journalistic output to maintain their absolute...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (25 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: As a journalist, a citizen and someone who has, in his professional work, observed the years leading up to the crisis and what has emerged since, what is Mr. Vaughan's view of this inquiry, if he cares to express one, from a public service point of view? Where does he believe it could usefully focus its work in terms of where the gaps in the knowledge are? Would he like to make any comments...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (26 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: 93. To ask the Minister for Finance the cost of exempting the first €100, €200 and €500 of interest from deposit interest retention tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12643/15]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Credit Unions (26 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: 79. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the efforts of the credit union sector to expand into mortgage lending; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12522/15]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Rebates (26 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: 83. To ask the Minister for Finance when refunds of deposit interest retention tax paid by first-time buyers will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12629/15]