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Updated: 15.11
THE CONTROVERSIAL SITESERV sale came up in the Dáil again today.
Sinn Féin’s Peadar Tóibín raised the issue during Leaders’ Questions, saying the review would be “incapable” of assuaging public concerns over the Siteserv sale.
Earlier this week, Finance Minister Michael Noonan announced the terms of reference into the review by KPMG of transactions carried out by IBRC prior to the appointment of the special liquidators.
Retired High Court Judge Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill has been appointed “to monitor any actual or perceived conflicts of interests” as KPMG previously advised Siteserv.
Tóibín said the finance minister failed to express the concerns he had about IBRC in responses he gave to parliamentary questions, referring to him as “Minister ‘hands-off’ Noonan”.
Smears
Communications Minister Alex White took exception to this, saying it was a “a classic tactic of Sinn Féin to level allegations which have no grounds, masquerading as a question”.
White said the special liquidators are “best placed to undertake a review thoroughly and expeditiously given their access to all the book and records of the IBRC”.
He went on to say Sinn Féin “can’t be taken seriously in relations to anything they say whatsoever” because the party operates “on the basis of smear”.
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn was having none of this.
‘Pathetic’
Earlier today, Tánaiste Joan Burton said she is “very happy” a retired judge will oversee the review.
“Following my discussion with the attorney general, I’m very happy that a judge has been appointed to overview the work that’s going to be done by the liquidators,” Burton told reporters this morning.
The Tánaiste said the review is a better option than a tribunal, as it will be completed by the end of August.
We don’t want to move back to ten-year tribunals which cost the country a huge amount of money and, very often, people have forgotten what they were about by the time they report.
She said it’s “appropriate” that a the retired judge will address any conflicts of interest, should they arise.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said Burton’s comments were “pathetic”, adding that he doesn’t know what the Labour party stands for anymore.
Martin said Burton told him last week she wanted an independent investigation to take place.
Basically the Labour party has caved into Fine Gael yet again.
Martin added that the terms of reference for the review are “narrow”, saying the scope “almost tees it up for a particular outcome”.
Shareholders
When asked by TheJournal.ie about the issues journalists had in attempting to search the Siteserv share register earlier this week, Burton said that’s an issue the media can take up with the company providing the service.
She said journalists should ask Computershare if there’s a way they could give the media “more ease of access” to the information.
Kieran Wallace and Eamonn Richardson of KPMG will review all transactions which occurred between 21 January 2009 (the date of the nationalisation of IBRC), and 7 February 2013 (the date the liquidators were appointed).
The review will cover transactions that resulted in a capital loss to IBRC of at least €10 million during that period.
Siteserv was sold to the Denis O’Brien-owned Millington by IBRC in 2012 for €45 million. The bank had given Siteserv a loan of €150 million, meaning the bank wrote off €105 million and the State got back less than €50 million.
At the same time, shareholders were paid €5 million.
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Kpmg investigating themselves. And Joan is happy. It will be completed by the end of august. Joan it will be completed before it starts that’s why the government has kpmg investigating it.
This happens in every investigation. Remember shatter, garda commissioner, Anglo tapes and all these other cart inquiry’s that push it past the news date trying to get people to forget while wasting hour tax money on not bringing about justice.
Independent inquiry now
The fact they are refusing to have an independent inquiry . somebody has something to hide and does not want the truth to get out. Their refusal says it all.
Alex White at leaders questions refused to answer if the inquiry would cover the insider trading, and also more importantly refused to answer if the cabinet would disclose if they knew any shareholders who had knowledge of the sale prior to it happening
The stench increases…….
Indeed, KPMG will present what facts they wish the Judge to see….anything incriminating will accidentally fall behind a radiator.
But you have to admit Alex White is good value for money. He goes on and on and on and on and on and then he attacks SF and then resumes going on and on and on and on and on and then he takes a break to attack SF and then he resumes going on and on and on and on
He should be put in a shed somewhere in the Midalnds where he can go on and on and on and on and on and take a break to attack SF and then resume going on and on and on and on
SINN FEIN -
You have been handed the Acid Test by Catherine Murphy – you now have ample evidence to get a High Court Order to immediately suspend the installation of all water meters under the Siteserv. contract …. Failure to do so will prove that you are not Republicans but politicians like the rest of them .
The precedent was set by the closing of the Goodman plant while the inquiry into the Horsemeat Scandal was ongoing .
This is what I meant some time ago when I wrote that Enda was being left in so that Paddy could have a right look at Sinn Fein – and yes it is Old, Old Fenians that are watching …
That’s right folks the Fenians haven’t gone away – and that is what will always protect Eire – Not politicians !
Over to you Gerry and Mary Lou – Don’t want the people to go thinking the whole thing is an act and you already have your deals done in Rome , London, Berlin and Frankfurt ….
To the High Court or be damned !
Or into the shredder…
so another white wash but quicker.
Indeed, the only thing more crooked than a judge is a banker/politician (as they are both one and the same)
Alex Whitewash
Alex White smears SF as a party which operates on smears
No public interest? Well, I’m interested. Is anybody else?
Yep so am i interested. I find the second letter quite interesting written by Mr o Brien. refers to details of particular sums of money representing his indebtedness to the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation.
As Catherine Murphy so brilliantly put it, if Denis O’Brien had 45 million available to hand the IBRC for the purchase of siteserv, then why wasn’t that money used to pay down his debts to the IBRC i.e. the taxpayer?
“One doesn’t tax oneself when one is building an empire and is personal friends with politicians on all sides “
They need a few Chinese walls in the Dail… tee he he he
Fill R.T.E News with content – no time then for a big expose on Trichet – keep the sheep entertained ?
Kpmg investigating kpmg
A mere 7 days ago burton stated on dail record that she wanted an independent investigation.
She stands for nothing. An ethically bankrupt woman.
Now she has changed her mind. Wonder why? Or who changed her mind? .
The board of IBRC has connections to kpmg, kpmg investigating themselves, and a judge picked by the government using terms of reference set by the man with his head on the chopping block.
Stinks like an anchovies $*%£
The investigation could not be more compromised. Noonan has to go.
But libellous Mary Lou and spoofing Gerry don’t?
Shinner hypocrisy is staggering. You have NO credibility when you ask others to resign for far less than what your own have done.
Getting boring now people trying to deflect throwing sinn fein in to comments that has nothing to do with sinn fein. Bit like Michael noonan yesterday on Sean o Rourke try and change the topic by deflection . shows them up just how ridiculous they are sounding.
Stick to the issue Alan, your comments might be a bit more comprehensible then.
ha,ha O`connor getting my reply deleted, throwing another little hissy fit,
you are ALWAYS on here defending the indefensible – which is that of FG /Liebour – they ARE your lot – and all you ever do is throw in the sinn fein analogy,
give it a rest pal, you really are boring with your usual rhetoric.
“But libellous Mary Lou and spoofing Gerry don’t?
Shinner hypocrisy is staggering. You have NO credibility when you ask others to resign for far less than what your own have done.”
Desperation. It’s been hilarious watching all the government trolls losing their minds this week on the site :-)
Cheerio trolls, its over for you as well as Labour/FG.
Quick look over here at bad lefties .
Alan – I understand that the actual article concerns An Tanaiste and Micheal Martin’s reaction to her Change of Face – where do SF / Mary Lou or Gerry come into it ???
Why do FG / Lab, Trolls try to divert everything to SF ???
He did the same to me, Pearse, and who is more gentle or mild mannered than moi??
Gosh there will be so many Chinese walls going up in KPMG that no doubt nothing will be found….
We’ll soon have our own Great Wall to rival the actual one in China!
O’Brien is to Ireland what the Koch brothers are to America. The Billionaire puppet masters of the politicians who dance to their masters tune.Dance monkey dance.
Ff fg labour are all the same https://youtu.be/aEIWNtb41k8
People haven’t “forgotten” the findings of the Moriarty Tribunal,Joan,that’s the problem.
That picture of burton has sunk a thousand homes ,,,hard hat brass neck
These shower have absolutely no respect for the citizens of this country ,why do they treat us as if we are dumb ,,,,,
Because we let them
Jane they do it because they can’t be held accountable until the next GE. Then they have their pensions and couldn’t give two hoots.
Who made him a judge . FG or LABOUR
Fianna Fail. In 1999. He was a prominent member of the Pro Life campaign in the 1980s as well as being in FF.
What is a Dennis O’Brien adviser doing in the Department of Finance?
He is advising the government on banking matters and has acccess to all documents.
Who gave him the job?
The whole thing stinks.
They just don’t get it do they?
They get it all right. Why do you think they are blocking a proper inquiry? But talk about all time lows. The Labour partry now backing Dukes and O’Brien
Does she wear that hat every time she goes out now?!
I think it is compulsory to wear now John, especially when dealing with any subject dealing with Irish Water – just think of it like peter cech with his cap while playing football.
“Should conflicts arise? She says”
Joan, not only are there factual conflicts. .
The investigation is a conflict of interests..
Ffs.
What a climb down.
Labour are below street level at this point.
The Labour Party will be exterminated at the next election and they know the game is up.
Having a judge oversee the review: Good.
Having KPMG do the review: really really BAD! That’s the issue here. Not the judge.
As Stephen Donnelly pointed out, at some stage at the cabinet table when the question was asked ‘who should carry out the investigation into KPMG’, somebody suggested ‘KPMG’ and nobody at that table found this unacceptable.
Incompetence at the cabinet table surely not!
How much will KPMG bill us for investigating themselves and finding absolutely nothing wrong and then who’s going to believe their BS?
Democracy my a”*se,Noonan should be on his way out of our Dail now. F/g labour corruption has now surpassed anything f/f could come up with.An early election is now a priority to rid ourselves of these old school self serving egotists.
The good ol’ US of A, with a population in excess of 230 million can manage to hold elections every four years. Apparently this is far too onerous for a country like ours with a tiny population. The late Mr. DeValera and his henchmen, when concocting what passes for our constitution, had their eyes on the main chance and the maintenance of power at all times. Hence the disappearance of the citizens initiative as existed in the Free State Constitution. The rot started with him, and his buddies, and it is long since past time when the corruption knitted into the very fabric of our constitution was rooted out and a fresh start made.
She has to be the most reviled woman in thue country. Heartless, self serving wretch.
Sure yez have the judges in your pocket Joan .look how many criminals walk the street just to keep prison populations down .
Yet another attempt to whitewash government corruption. If this makes sense to the judiciary then why didn’t Larry murphy make the jury for the Graham Dwyer trial.
And,on the topic of reports,where’s the Fennelly Commission report?Oh yeah,forgotten.
More brown envelopes been passed around
Once upon a time I was a Labour voter/supporter. And it really pains me to see how that once proud party have been so diluted by FG. It’s a true saying: lie down with dogs, get up with fleas. The last vestiges of Labour ideology has now been sold out by Burton. And for what?——- a short sniff of power.
fg didnt dilute labour…rabbitte, gilmour,burton,kelly……workers party democratic left and more infiltrated by opportunists like the people i mentioned..time to start again…kill off this party
Peter I think it was more for the ministerial pension bonus round.
Please investigate the awarding of a goverment contract to an unregistared company without a tax clearance certificate????????????????
The lads at the golf club are breaking their arses laughing.
May I ask Joan Burton where is the Fennelly report on Kenny ??.
Good man, Tony – keep asking, keep the faith.
Totally corrupt, remove them with mass nonpayment and a no in endas referendums ,it will force a GE,guaranteed.
Pathetic.
If you believe in the Marriage Equality amendment, vote Yes. If you don’t , vote no.
But don’t try to hide a No vote behind a dislike of the government. Have the courage to vote as your conscience dictates.
Not surprised at all Labour have lost their soul.
Everything Moan Burton does and says is pathetic.
Altogether now
Hello this is Joanie,I’m sorry but I’m not home,but if you leave me your name and number…………and so on
Alex White ?!!? HAAAAAAH, HAAAAAAH, HAAAAAAH. I would very much like to join my fellow citizens in storming Leinster House, but fear that I will cut a lone and puny figure – easily battered and tazered by our ‘Guardians of the Peace’.
I am astounded the opposition are not enquiring about the Fennelly report on Kenny !. Should we be afraid ?.
Labours way not Frankfurts way , we don’t agree with water charges , no increase in third level tuition fees , we lie to get elected …….Liebore = labour Nua
Iphoney Joany knows her time is up and will just go along with Europe’s Fine Gael. Labour will slip away to oblivion for their crimes. FG will suffer at the hands also of an angry electorate. Hope election is forced on them..
So, O’connor obviously complained about my comment. It still stands. The Department of education have to answer as to why far more pernicious influences than that of “gays ” are allowed to subsist. The Jesuits said “give me the child until he is seven, and I will give you the man”. They were not wrong – and I maintain my objection to O’connor as a teacher.
Hand picked judge to monitor I wonder what favors he owed KPMG investigating themselves that’s is like the garda investigating themselves oh look we did nothing wrong………..joan the moan is happy with this so corruption is happy to investigate corrupt and guess what we did nothing wrong the usual shit from our corrupt leaders
She’s pathetic to be more exact.
Get a different picture of Joan Burton?
Alex White smears SF by accusing them of smears. They’ve closed Grangegorman and moved it to Kildare St.
I wouldn’t be briefing Alex White after the next election.
White just blackens his own name with his smears-
Where is the Fennelly report on Kenny ??.
I suppose Alex will be calling for the immediate publication of the fennelly report seeing as he doesn’t believe Enda’s story.
White operates like Putin.. Corrupt Eircode tender and all that …comrade Rabbitte was just as bad…traitors the 2 of them.
But from since this government has come in, the biggest smearer in the Dail is Enda against Adams, look at the scandals of this government. Does Alex think that he can twist and re-write the government history and smear campaigns by blaming the target of all the government smears onto S.F. by the government acting the victim them?
What do they take people for, stupid, vote for us because we think your stupid, will that be their new election campaign. Also have people forgotten all the scandals from this government, have they?
The report will be a Whitewash just as the internal inquiry into penalty points was. KPMGs censorious behaviour when the share register was shown to journalists for just 30 minutes and demanded no photos be taken does not inspire confidence. Only a commission of inquiry will suffice.
Waste of TAXPAYERS MONEY what’s done is done
What’s done is done bluemist. So please enlighten us what was done. Since your happy to let it be done. Why’s that? Afraid of what might transpire and who might be shown up . typical answer . let’s forget that maybe corruption, insider trading, backhand deals was done. The only waste of taxpayers money is the money that keeps getting written off for certain friends of fg.
Why imprison Gary Glitter then? After all what’s done is done. Waste of taxpayers money keeping him in prison….Cop your self on!
1. Stab someone…
2. Guards come…
3. Just say “What’s done is done”…
4. Guards say “Grand”
Is that how it works in your world Bluemist?
By appointing the judge they may get immunity from FOI requests
It’s a tsunami of smears against Siteserv
It’s really important to note that no one takes the comments on the Journal seriously. It has become a platform generally run from SF/IRA headquarters. Many comments under a few people’s multiple Twitter accounts
It’s really important to note that no one takes the comments on the Journal seriously. It has become a platform generally run from FG/LAB headquarters. Many comments under a few people’s multiple Twitter accounts
Fixed that for you there…
Is that why you comment on the journal because no one takes you seriously?
Could you please tell me which political party is SF/IRA
Non-existent Ray – how was your trip around the Stone Age ?
Welcome back – things have changed a lot since you were away ….
That was to powerabbey i know no such party exist’s just wanted his answer
sorry Ray ..me stupido ….
question to powerabbey so – (with your permission, of course, Ray )
No worries
Go away Powerabbey,
You and your ilk (FG/Liebour trolls) are now irrelevant on the comments pages after your dismal no shows over the past week and a half,
You and your ilks deafening silence on all the dirty laundry that has been hung out on this government, shows what a cowardly bunch of trolls you really are.
your trolling is now like the dying sting from a wasp of last summer.
Go away, and bring your government with you.
Usual rubbish comments. I have never supported any party – unlike you. My one political imperative is to point out that SF/IRA are a potential disaster for the country. While the cult would like to pretend that the PIRA “have gone away” the fact that Adams, Ferris, Ellis etc are key members makes it clear that the gun is still ready in the background.
have your say