Results 2,821-2,840 of 4,168 for speaker:Susan O'Keeffe
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: As Ireland did not implement it, was this something of which the European Commission took cognisance or remembered? How would it have fed into our relationship with the Commission over the years which followed, given that the Government had not implemented what it was asked to implement in 2001, or was it just a case of it not mattering?
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: I understand that, but I am asking whether this fed into or changed the relationship between Ireland and the Commission or did it make any difference?
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: I wish to clarify. At that time and in those conversations, was all that done in writing only? Were there face-to-face meetings with the Minister for Finance, the Taoiseach or the Tánaiste? Was it just a mindset of here is the piece of paper and get on with the job?
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: Mr. Buti said on page 6 that as the years passed, and we are talking about 2002 to 2006, inclusive, "the Commission did not shy away from taking a critical view" of Ireland. Mr. Rob Wright gave evidence here following his report on the Department of Finance. He said Mr. Buti's criticisms "were leavened by favourable comment and even praise for Irish policy." How could Mr. Buti be critical...
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: On page 8, Mr. Buti says that the Commission's stability programme updates did not review developments in the banking sector between 2001 and 2007. I appreciate that situation may have changed now. However, the public would scratch their heads and wonder how could any economic commentary or assessment of a country, in that format, possibly exclude its banks. How could that have been?
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: Mr. Buti's organisation did not know that then.
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: I have just two further questions. Given that Mr. Buti knew at the time there was no sanction for the recommendation and no follow-up, given that he described the model he was able to use as being flawed and given that there were plenty of difficulties, such as the incomplete toolbox, can he understand why people might say it was the best of free-market thinking, with light-touch...
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: Mr. Buti has done so.
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: I am asking Mr. Buti whether that would be described as free-market thinking. In addition, was he surprised at the response by the Irish Government? Was he actually surprised because he said it was a serious decision in 2001? Was he surprised by the level of push-back from the Irish Government. It described the position as bizarre and said it had no intention of changing its plans?
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: Professor Honohan, in his report, summarises by saying, "It is clear that a major failure in terms of bank regulation and the maintenance of financial stability failure occurred." As a member of that team, you obviously agreed with the findings of this report. What would you say about the fact that no one resigned, nor was anyone asked to resign, given the strength of that statement?
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: Dr. Donovan said in his own statement that the cautious stance by the IMF may have been due to several factors, including "difficulties in challenging definitively the Irish authorities". What do you mean by that?
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: You say very clearly that analysis of the financial sector always featured in the IMF reports, unlike the European Commission reports, which did not do that. Given what the IMF said about the financial sector - that it was in good nick, if you will excuse the expression - is it possible that the IMF was lied to by the banks?
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: I said, "or not."
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: How did it arise-----
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: How did it arise that the IMF, which always did this work - as Dr. Donovan said, analysis of the financial sector always featured in IMF reports - gave us an opinion about Ireland that clearly was not the case? Professor John FitzGerald, when he was here last week, said that while the ESRI also did not look at the financial services sector - he used the words "in or about" - it would...
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: Indeed. Why did this not happen?
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: Is there-----
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (18 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: I cannot possibly be out of time.
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (11 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: Professor FitzGerald said he had not been consulted about the bank guarantee. Does he mean formally nor informally? Did nobody think he might have something useful to say?
- Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (11 Feb 2015)
Susan O'Keeffe: And did anybody consult Professor FitzGerald in the weeks leading up to it?