Results 621-640 of 7,975 for speaker:Joe Higgins

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (16 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: And were you asked to contribute in relation to the Irish crisis or to give a paper?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (16 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: Or did discussions take place on the Irish crisis?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (16 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: The Bilderberg Group, Mr. Gallagher, is regarded as being highly secretive. Some say it's also representing the global capitalist elites, if you like. Do you think it's appropriate that the chief law officer of the State would be involved with it?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (16 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: Why do you think they would be interested in getting a member of the Irish Government, even if you're not in official capacity?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (16 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: Mr. Gallagher, finally ... like Mr. McCarthy yesterday, who was a chief in the Taoiseach's Department previously, you explained the red line issue that corporation tax was for the Government in dealing with the troika, etc. But can I ask you: do you think it's a moral and defendable position that a Government would take that, you know, highly profitable corporate entities should be protected...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (16 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: But did they express-----

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (16 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: -----qualms to you about interfering with the wages of the poorest workers at the same time?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (16 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: Thank you, Mr. Gallagher.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (16 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: Yes. Mr. Ahern, under the terms of reference of the banking inquiry, one of the issues that has to be looked at is the role of the Oireachtas in the matter of regulatory and supervisory systems and practices. During your term as Taoiseach, do you believe that Oireachtas committees were structured so as to have sufficient authority to effectively examine financial matters, fiscal matters or...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (16 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: And, Mr. Ahern, issues that witnesses at this inquiry have identified as causing the inflation of a major property bubble - and then which caused a major crash - for example, exponential increase in lending by banks, particularly in property, major speculation and profiteering in building land and rocketing house prices, can you remember being challenged, either by committees of the...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (16 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: Yes, Mr. Ahern, in regard to that issue, would it be fair to say that, in fact, you allowed land speculation to run riot? You may remember, in 2004, it was raised in the Oireachtas, where a syndicate of rich people had bought 11 acres of building land in Stillorgan only four years before, had got planning permission and then sold it for a gain of €32 million, and your Government had...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (16 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: And was your close relationship with developers and builders a factor in that you didn't take action against them, Mr. Ahern?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (16 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: Well, to establish a relationship, Chairman ... Mr. Ahern ... two issues in regard to that. Ms Elaine Byrne in evidence to this inquiry, found that between 1997 and 2007, of the €1.8 million donated to Fianna Fáil, and anything €5,000 or under did not have to be notified, but of what was notified, 35% or €635,970, was from property and construction interests. Is...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (16 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: Mr. Ahern, you said earlier that you take no responsibility for what the banks, or, indeed, the Central Bank or the regulator did. You don't take responsibility for alleged perhaps ... whatever, in that regards. But I put it to you, Mr. Ahern, that you have to take responsibility for this reason; that you launched the Better Regulation in 2004 and in your foreword it's quite clear that...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (16 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: Well, did your attitude towards light-touch regulation - evidence was given that the IFSC was a factor, that you didn't want to affect that - allow the type of light-touch regulation under which the banks profiteered?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (16 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: Last point then Chairman and Mr. Ahern is this. Mr. Ahern, you said in your opening speech page 2: The main economic problems facing Ireland in the mid-1990s were high unemployment, net emigration, relatively low incomes and the need for increased productivity. A decade later these problems were substantially solved. And then you said Mr. Ahern in page 19, reminding younger Members of...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (15 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: Thank you, Chair. Mr. Corrigan. Could we put up the Corrigan core document, first one there, please, 002? I've given a note to the ... Mr. Corrigan, this ... just, I want to draw your attention this, its page 118 in the document you have in front of you, Vol. 1, and its up on the screen as well, the last two paragraphs on that page please. If you can scroll her up ......

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (15 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: And just in general, I understand what you said, what criteria would have been uppermost in the minds of those making the decision on who to give this ... these contracts to?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (15 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: Mr. Corrigan, can you throw any light on this for me? In the Allied Irish Bank annual report 2011, they give on page 297 of that report - you don't need to have it - an account of the transfer of business from Anglo Irish Bank Corporation and then at the end of the explanation they say a net capital contribution of €1.5 billion was generated on the date of the transaction. Can you...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Nexus Phase (15 Jul 2015)

Joe Higgins: Does that mean a €1.5 billion gain for Allied Irish Banks on this transaction?