Results 26,481-26,500 of 35,894 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: So the advice was tendered; it is just that there is no written record.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I refer to Mr. Wright's presentation and report in which he states that advice was given verbally. Was advice coming through the Department that was suppressed within the Department? Does Mr. Wright know whether people on the ground floor were giving advice about the overheating of the construction sector, the potential for a property collapse, and that Department officials either excluded...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: It has been put into the public domain by somebody within the Department who provided information to the Nyberg commission relating to responses that she made to parliamentary questions. As these went up the chain in the Department of Finance, the suggestion was that those responses and the language were neutered and some language was deleted. She was told to use the phrase "a soft landing"...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: Would it surprise Mr. Wright to learn that there is evidence that has given weight to that fact that information was deleted, rephrased and so on, given the three month investigation he carried out?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: The construction policy area is one of the three areas which were the focus of Mr. Wright's report. As has been remarked earlier, it is quite brief. It is less than one page. Mr Wright in his report states that as far back as 1999 the Department provided advice on the overheating of the construction sector. He mentioned there were assessments of risks from the Irish housing bubble. He...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: Cuirim fáilte roimh an tUasal Wright. I welcome him to the committee. I have a couple of questions. His report deals with the Department of Finance over a ten year period and he focused on three areas. The terms of reference of this inquiry is to look at specific areas, particularly the nexus between property, banking and the State. I wish to focus on that area, that his report...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: In the case where a Government overrides that advice, does Mr. Wright believe that it would be appropriate for the public not to be informed of that advice?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: In a case where we had a banking crisis - I want to focus on construction, because Mr. Wright mentions that advice was given to Government during that period in terms of overheating the construction sector - Mr. Wright's view is that while it was right and appropriate for that advice to be given, it should have been given in a stronger way. However, the public should not have access to that...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: VAT Rate Application (18 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: 73. To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to amend the applicable rates of VAT so that school uniforms of all sizes are rated at 0%. [48786/14]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: National Debt (18 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: 80. To ask the Minister for Finance the position regarding bilateral loans and financial borrowings from the British Government to the State. [48935/14]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: National Debt (18 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: 81. To ask the Minister for Finance if the State has formally requested a waiver on the early repayment of bilateral loans from the British Government and the outcome of any such request. [48936/14]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: National Debt (18 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: 82. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide both the date and amount of the latest repayment on bilateral loans to the British Government by the State. [48937/14]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: IMF Loan Issues (18 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: 86. To ask the Minister for Finance the way the early repayment of IMF loans will affect the relationship between Ireland and the IMF as regards the monitoring of the State by the IMF. [49015/14]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (18 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: 496. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the negative impact which increases to the minimum pupil numbers needed for maintaining staffing levels in primary schools since budget 2012 has had on schools; if her attention has been further drawn to the threat this has posed to rural schools where enrolment figures often fluctuate and face the loss of...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (17 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: In his report, Mr. Nyberg mentioned that some of this was obvious, and in-depth analysis would have teased this out further. He mentioned concentration of credit and I will return to my original point. With Anglo Irish Bank, 20 debtors held 50% of the commercial loans, with a value of €21 billion. Is there anything in Mr. Nyberg's extensive experience which suggests any other...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (17 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: The specific question was whether the Office of the Financial Regulator was fit for purpose. I take it the witness is not going to go down that road, which is fair enough.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (17 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: The Nyberg commission did not have access to recordings in the treasury rooms of the various banks. We have just come through an experience here where investigators of an institution gave it a clean bill of health but it was found that the institution was far from deserving it. This was discovered because of secret recordings, with the management unaware it was being recorded. We know in...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (17 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: Just a couple of questions and hopefully, like Senator MacSharry's, they will be "Yes" or "No". There has been a lot of discussion on external factors - efficient markets and all the rest - but can Mr. Nyberg confirm to the committee that it is his view that the Irish crisis was essentially home grown?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (17 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: Regarding the co-operation Mr. Nyberg received, he mentioned in his report that access to relevant documents or interviews was not fully unproblematic. A small minority of these organisations and individuals chose to be represented by lawyers. His report goes on to make a recommendation. Could he inform the committee of the organisations he felt were not as co-operative, as is suggested by...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (17 Dec 2014)

Pearse Doherty: Mr. Nyberg got the information in the end. He mentioned Mr. Wright, who will be before the committee tomorrow. He made a clear finding in his own report concerning the fitness for purpose - or not - of the Department of Finance. In his report, Mr. Nyberg made several criticisms relating to the office of the financial regulator and the weaknesses and deficiencies there. Does he believe...