Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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79. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide a copy of the relationship framework, which governed the interactions between his Department and the former management and board of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, IBRC, prior to its liquidation; if he will indicate the precise financial thresholds under the framework which would have triggered mandatory consultation in advance of a transaction and / or disposal; if he will provide a list of all instances where such consultation took place and the sums involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8718/15]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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A copy of the Relationship Framework (including the Operational Protocol), which governed interactions between I, as Minister for Finance, and Irish Bank Resolution Corporation can be found on the Department of Finance website through the below link: 



Paragraph 4 of the Operational Protocol for the Relationship Framework in respect of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation contains the consent/consultation procedure between the Bank and I, as Minister for Finance.

Paragraph 4 of the Operational Protocol states that, "For the purposes of paragraph 14 of the Relationship Framework, the Bank shall consult with the Minister in accordance with the Consent/Consultation Procedure in respect of any proposed decision or action that is within the Ordinary Course of Business but which:

4.1 is likely to have an adverse impact on total regulatory capital of the Bank of greater than €100 million;

4.2 is an actual or potential acquisition, investment or disposal (or series of related transactions) and the total purchase price, investment or proceeds individually or in aggregate could exceed €100 million; or

4.3 is a realisation, reorganisation, restructuring or other transaction or event and it is likely to have an adverse impact on the total equity of the Bank of greater than €100 million."

The Relationship Framework outlines the instances in which Irish Bank Resolution Corporation were required to gain consent from me or consult with me, as Minister for Finance, and these instances went beyond individual transactions and/or disposals; they also included consent for board approvals, management appointments and litigation matters. In total, there were 29 instances where the Bank required Ministerial consent or consultation but given customer confidentiality in certain instances and on-going litigation in other instances, I am unable to provide further detail on the individual instances where Ministerial consent or consideration was required.