Results 3,301-3,320 of 3,444 for speaker:Shane Cassells

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (Resumed) (6 Oct 2016)

Shane Cassells: There was no detailed record in that respect.

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (Resumed) (6 Oct 2016)

Shane Cassells: There was an earlier discussion here as well from the Northern Ireland perspective, from Deputies Cullinane and Farrell, about, as the Minister said, expeditious disposal of property. The Minister said there was an open competitive process. However, I will quote an interesting response Frank Daly gave last week to a question from Deputy Rock regarding the former's analysis from Northern...

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (Resumed) (6 Oct 2016)

Shane Cassells: I really am looking for help to understand the Minister's analysis, though, of the disposal of portfolios in Northern Ireland and a representative of such a commercial entity speaking in those terms. Does the Minister think it is right and proper that that is the kind of commentary we have? Does he think that there was an attitude here to get rid of this portfolio as quickly as possible?...

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (Resumed) (6 Oct 2016)

Shane Cassells: In summation, then, the Minister has said it got a good deal, that it was not realistic to kick it out to 2020. He stands by its position, so to help me make my summation: does the Minister stand over what NAMA has done?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (Resumed) (6 Oct 2016)

Shane Cassells: From Europe?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (Resumed) (6 Oct 2016)

Shane Cassells: On that we can agree.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Applications (5 Oct 2016)

Shane Cassells: 121. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will accommodate a person (details supplied) with transport on the Bus Éireann school bus scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28901/16]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Aids and Appliances Applications (5 Oct 2016)

Shane Cassells: 191. To ask the Minister for Health the status of medical equipment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28900/16]

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Shane Cassells: I thank the Chairman and Mr. McCarthy. Two weeks ago, when this broke in the media in terms of the work that was going to be conducted, I thought one of the most striking comments was from Sean Whelan in RTE. He referred to what was the unprecedented stand-off between Mr. McCarthy's office and NAMA, which obviously generated and captured the public attention. We have then had a series of...

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Shane Cassells: I appreciate that, and obviously the members of this committee appreciate the factual report Mr. McCarthy has put forward. What interests me is the response to it from NAMA. We we will hear from and question its representatives later. However, there seems to be bully-boy tactics at play. Deputy Cullinane asked about NAMA operating in the real world and Frank Daly, in his own words, said...

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Shane Cassells: Mr. McCarthy stated this morning that "there [may be] strategic and commercial reasons why NAMA might prefer an early loan sale" and that it is a business decision and not something he would comment on. In response to Deputy Burke, Mr. McCarthy said that once they went for that option, there was an immediate acceptance that there was going to be a bigger discount, so Mr. McCarthy is...

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Shane Cassells: Okay. I have a limited amount of time. In respect of the process of sale and record keeping, Mr. McCarthy said that there were no adequate records of the key decisions for Project Eagle kept by NAMA. Is that one of the most worrying aspects of this for Mr. McCarthy in his report? It obviously gives rise to potential assertions in respect of incompetency at the worst and otherwise at...

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Shane Cassells: In terms of the work of this committee, the sheer lack of a paper trail is what really goes to the heart of this matter and probably leaves more questions than answers. In respect of the allegations of Mr. Cushnahan's involvement, in the conclusions of the Comptroller and Auditor General, in an arrangement to share fees with Brown Rudnick, this warranted more action by NAMA when the matter...

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Shane Cassells: I am reading between the lines. Mr. McCarthy has left us hanging. He has made this statement that has captured the public imagination and brought people down a certain road. He has said those in NAMA were more focused on their legal obligations rather than what they should have been doing as part of a robust body. Mr. McCarthy has given a taste and left us hanging. What I am asking is...

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Shane Cassells: Opinion pieces are being written in the newspapers about - this goes to the heart of the matter - people's motivation. We can discuss the cost of the loan all day and whether there was a loss to the taxpayer. However, the real thing goes on about people's motivation in terms of the deal.

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Shane Cassells: This is more than a massive failure on their behalf. Mr. McCarthy has alluded to that. Would Mr. McCarthy agree that it is more than a massive failing on their behalf in this respect?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Shane Cassells: I suppose we have them here later.

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Shane Cassells: I thank Mr. Daly, Mr. McDonagh and all of the staff. I have found the day's proceedings to be great stuff. It has been like a political version of "EastEnders" in here today. It has been great and very engrossing. The witnesses have come here today and made a very stern defence of their process and the net result which they say was a good deal for the Irish taxpayer. The witnesses have...

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Shane Cassells: Of course, that goes to the heart of the matter. Mr. Daly said the Comptroller and Auditor General's reports were highly respected. Indeed, I was just reading comments from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, who said the Government respected this report of the Comptroller and Auditor General. He said this was one of the reasons the Government believed a...

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Shane Cassells: Ministers talking out of both sides of their mouth is not-----