Results 30,621-30,640 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin
- Leaders' Questions (23 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: On a point of clarity-----
- Leaders' Questions (23 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: As the Tánaiste knows, over the past number of days the sale of Siteserv by IBRC to Millington, an Isle of Man company owned by Denis O'Brien, has been the subject of much controversy. At the time of the sale, it was in debt of up to €150 million. It installed Sky boxes, fixed traffic lights and had contracts with the ESB and Bord Gáis Energy. After the sale, it went on to...
- Leaders' Questions (23 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: Paddy knows very little about what transpired here. The only effective way to deal with this comprehensively would be to have an effective and quick commission of investigation inquiry, under the existing relevant legislation, into all aspects of this deal and the other large transactions the Department of Finance officials had such grave concerns about. The Tánaiste might clarify the...
- Order of Business (22 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: The programme for Government was initially very strong on the need for transparency in terms of how the Government conducts its business and protects the taxpayer. The phrase the Taoiseach used was, "Paddy likes to know".
- Order of Business (22 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: Unfortunately, that is not how it worked out. During Leaders' Questions, we raised the issue of the sale of Siteserv. It is interesting that it has taken so long for very basic details to come out. The Comptroller and Auditor General will not be able to deal with all aspects of the concerns the civil servants in the Department of Finance had, particularly the decision to allow the same...
- Order of Business (22 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: No, it did not. That is not what happened.
- Order of Business (22 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: That would have happened anyway, for God's sake.
- Order of Business (22 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: Does the Comptroller and Auditor General have the legislative basis to do it?
- Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: That is not true.
- Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: That is too limited. Was it okay to pay the €5 million? There were a number of large transactions.
- Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: What the Taoiseach is doing is despicable.
- Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: I asked a very basic question, which was whether the Taoiseach would set up an inquiry into this deal. The Government is hiding behind very opaque language. What the Taoiseach read out was read out last night by the Minister of State, Deputy Harris. What the Taoiseach is saying to me is that Alan Dukes persuaded the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, that it was okay for...
- Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: The taxpayer was already losing more than €100 million on the deal, but it was okay to pay the shareholders €5 million. The advisers to the shareholders were Davy, and it has transpired that some of the shareholders are clients of Davy.
- Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: We could not make this up. It is wrong. Will the Taoiseach call it as wrong? Does he think it was right that the €5 million payment should have been made? Will the Taoiseach give me a straight answer to this question? Why did the Minister not do what his officials wanted done and establish an independent review of the transaction? That is all the civil servants wanted. The...
- Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: -----about this deal but also about more. The Taoiseach could read the freedom of information material in 15 to 20 minutes. It states that the officials at the Department of Finance were "concerned at the number of large transactions that have been poorly executed under the direction of the current CEO. The performance of management in executing these transactions raises the question of...
- Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: This was all prepared for the Minister to say to them. The documents also state: "Events over the past number of months have led me to question the effectiveness of the management team in IBRC." They further state: "I expect the Board to ensure that the bank in its approach and operations is operating to the exemplary standards and in the public interest. I am concerned that the reputation...
- Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: I have in my hand the documents and one can see the redactions. We do not know the half of what was going on that gave rise to so much concern among officials in the Department of Finance. All of this is from the Department of Finance and has been revealed through freedom of information requests. To be fair to Independent Deputy Catherine Murphy, it took her the guts of a year to get to...
- Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: She said it was like pulling hen's teeth.
- Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: I put it to the Taoiseach sincerely that this cries out for a proper inquiry because protection of the taxpayers' interest is at the core of the issue, and it clearly was not protected in this deal. Will the Taoiseach establish a proper inquiry? Does he think it was okay for €5 million to be given to the shareholders?
- Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2015)
Micheál Martin: No, I am questioning a deal.