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HEAVILY REDACTED DOCUMENTS, released under FOI, highlight senior government officials’ concerns about a number of “poorly executed” large transactions made by IBRC, the former Anglo Irish Bank.
The documents are largely blacked out, but several key portions show Department of Finance officials’ concerns about transactions, including the 2012 sale of Siteserv to the Denis O’Brien-owned company Millington for €45 million.
The documents were released under Freedom of Information to the independent TD Catherine Murphy who has been pursuing the matter for some time.
The FOI release does not include a schedule of all records related to the matter, which is normally the case when documents are released. It also does not give any explicit reason for the documents being largely redacted. We understand that Murphy was told the redcations were for reasons of commercial sensitivity.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has this afternoon said there will be a further FOI release tomorrow.
Here are a couple of key portions…
In this July 2012 briefing note to senior Department of Finance officials, including then-secretary general John Moran, concerns are expressed about the execution of some transactions and the performance of then-IBRC chief executive Mike Aynsley.
“The performance of management in executing these transactions raises the question of the effectiveness of the CEO,” the note states.
The same note also outlines a proposed approach for the meeting with IBRC officials and says the bank’s chairman Alan Dukes should commission a ‘full independent review’ into the Siteserv transaction.
It states that the Minister for Finance Michael Noonan is “very concerned” about how a large number of transactions have been handled.
As a result, the note says, the Department has questioned the effectiveness of the CEO and the management team:
In a separate briefing note, prepared for Noonan ahead of his meeting with the IBRC chief executive, the concerns about the Siteserv transaction are outlined including
Murphy has said the heavily-redacted files contradict responses to parliamentary questions she received from Finance Minister Michael Noonan and raise questions about the eventual liquidation of IBRC as part of the promissory note arrangement in 2013.
The former chairman of Alan Dukes, has rejected any suggestions of impropriety in the sale of SiteServ. Noonan has said he is satisfied he took sufficient action on the issue.
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Beaten by Dana. Rough
@Gareth Wogan: show me a good loser, and I’ll show you a loser springs to mind. Should never have ran, ego, pr whatever etc
“I’m slightly ahead of where the public concerns are around the changes in society”
Yes, that’s it. We’re just not ready for such a forward thinker.
The arrogance is unbelievable. He’s saying it’s the fault of the electorate that he lost:
“I think the issues that I’ve raised, and I accept the blame here, if they didn’t resonate with the public it’s perhaps that I’m slightly ahead of where the public concerns are around the changes in society.” No, Duffy, it’s because the public saw you for what you are: a bull$h!tter with lots of steam and no ideas.
@Martello Mulligan: Well said. He’s also an unlikeable ballbag too
Hopefully now Dragons will realize that minor reality TV show personalities are not presidential prospects.
Karma as he is known to enjoy hunting and killing innocent wildlife. Lovely man.
@Lovely weather: karma? Because he enjoys hunting. The mind boggles.
@Kevin O’Donnell: not much of a mind i take it
@Lovely weather: so?
I’m actually surprised he managed to get over 32 thousand votes. He was a very poor candidate and too similar to the other dragons: older, male and conservative so he didn’t stand out.
Tool
Why hasn’t there been a recount it’s obviously a mistake!!!!
@Annette yeah there’s no way 32,198 people voted for him
Delighted for him
I think he looks too much like bertie.
He did well to get as many votes as he did. Disastrous campaign by all accounts
The Irish Presidential Election is over.
Gavin Duffy, the candidate who backed bloodsports and had fought hard against the staghunting ban back in 2010, has come LAST, receiving little over 2% of the national vote.
So, next time any “fieldsport” supporter claims that animal baiting commands significant public backing in Ireland, let’s remind them that their champion has been well and truly rejected by the electorate.
This was a referendum of sorts within the wider election campaign…on bloodsports.
And the result is clear. These “sports” (pictured) have no place in our country and should be consigned to the dustbin of history.
@John Fitzgerald: well said John.
No business in the race. I look forward to Brian McFadden an vogue going head in the next election
Worse than Dana… Gavin, put on the sweat pants,open that tub of Ben ‘n’ Jerry’s and just forget about it all with a nice vintage red merlot.
I am delighted that the voting public could see him for what he is. A vain obnoxious man with little to offer.
The People of Drogheda are very happy
SF same polling as Gallagher. Surprising considering the money they pumped into this with posters etc.
@Rory: true. SF were the only ones to canvas my door &my mum’s place. No leaflets or anything else were dropped in our letterboxes for any candidate except the SF one. Saw posters for No Liadh &Michael D alright but never heard a peep out of the other crowd
One positive of this pointless exercise, seeing this guy knocked off his perch.
Hang on, did you all know we’re selling AIB?!
I bloody didn’t and definitely want to know more I guarantee because of him, they’ll have to start a dialogue now with the people, for that alone he’s a legend!
@Martin Morris: A legend?
Not really, a leg end maybe?
Was he beaten by Dustin the Turkey?
He says he now realizes that he was applying for a job that was not available. Oh Dear, could he not see the writing on the wall before now, everyone else could.
Mr Duffy & now you know the reason Bertie won’t run!
Well! There’s something for his C.V.. he holds a record for biggest loser.
@brian: You’re clearly not talking about his weight in that statement.
So we love our Leprechauns
Very happy. Maybe RTE will cop on take this idiot off the telly making a living trying to rip off hard working enrapanures, with the help of RTE and our licence fees.
fools and their money
It’s a little bit embarrassing that one candidate got huge numbers of votes, another got a moderate amount and the rest got hardly anything. Would it not make sense to have some sort of primary session first, when there are multiple candidates, and then run an election based on the top 2 or 3, pitted against each other in proper debates that would better demonstrate whether a candidate is “presidential material” or not? Casey’s populist agenda wouldn’t have carried him through such a debate. Michael D would probably have come out on top again either way, but there would be no wasted splitting of the votes amongst the losers.
With all His BS about being so clever and rich he couldn’t even do anything but scrape the bottom of the barrel … I’d never invest with him !
Those who can, do…those who can’t……
@Jack O’Meara: “teach”? That makes no sense in this context
Pr
He has put forward a couple of reasons to try and explain his trouncing at the polls. What he hasn’t mentioned is the fact that the great majority of lrish people recoil at the notion of anyone killing an animal for fun. Indeed l would go so far as to say that most ordinary, decent people would view someone who does this as being dysfunctional mentally, and certainly not someone suitable to lead a country.
How deluded do you have to be to put yourself forward in an election and say “ I am your man” ? If you are Gavin Duffy.
have your say