Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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216. To ask the Minister for Finance if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 27 of 4 February 2015, he will provide details of the meetings he or officials of his Department have had in relation to private equity funds; the dates on which these meetings took place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6750/15]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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As stated in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 27, as part of our broader efforts to encourage inward investment into Ireland in the wake of the financial crises, stakeholders across the Irish system, including the banks, NAMA, IBRC, the IDA, the NTMA as well as my officials and occasionally myself, do meet with investors interested in investing in Ireland including through the acquisition of loan or property assets and the establishment of business enterprises in Ireland. 

This has included occasional meetings with representatives of private equity funds who have purchased or may be interested in purchasing loans and assets from NAMA and other Irish sellers.

Such discussions do not involve the discussion of specific sales processes or specific assets but rather provide these investors with the opportunity to communicate their broader interests in and investment proposition regarding Ireland, their plans for further investment and potential for local business development and job creation.  They also provide increased visibility regarding Ireland's relative attractiveness as destination for foreign capital investment.

The list below sets out meetings with private equity firms interested in NAMA since the beginning of 2014 attended by Department of Finance officials.  As previously stated, the topics discussed at these meetings would have been varied, ranging from broad interests in investment in Ireland to discussions regarding NAMA, IBRC, REIT framework, the construction sector and direct lending, among other topics. In addition, senior officials attend group meetings and conferences arranged by investment banks and stockbrokers as well as presenting at conferences.