Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland

Nama has clawed back €800 million from debtors putting assets 'beyond its reach'

Fianna Fail’s Michael McGrath said the news raises “fundamental questions” about debtor co-operation.

THE NATIONAL ASSET Management Agency has recouped more than €800 million that debtors had transferred beyond the agency’s reach.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan confirmed that the agency swooped for the assets, about two thirds of which was in property, in a reply to Fianna Fail Finance Spokesman Michael McGrath.

The remaining third was mostly comprised of share portfolios as cash, the Finance Minister said.

Offence

Speaking to TheJournal.ie, McGrath said that there was a possibility that the debtors had committed an offence under section seven of the Nama act, which makes it an offense to withhold information relevant to the operation of the agency.

He said that “it is implicit from the Minister’s reply that debtors went out of their way to put assets beyond the reach of Nama”.

It does raise a fundamental question about the lack of co-operation from some of Nama’s debtors.

He said that the bad bank deserved praise for pursuing debtors that had attempted to move assets, but added that “it would be naive to believe they had identified all instances where debtors moved assets beyond the agency’s reach”.

Private sector

McGrath said that the agency is facing a major problem with former employers transitioning into the private sector, often with intimate knowledge of Nama’s property portfolio.

“That continues to be a major issue facing the agency…a cooling off period has been introduced, but the reality is they have a high staff turnover.”

They don’t have long term jobs security, they have access to highly sensitive commercial information, and there is a real conflict of interest when they go on to join private sector property firms after their work with the agency.

Read: How many Nama debtors have gone bankrupt so far?>

Read: Nama has completed over €5 billion in loan and property sales so far this year>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
10 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Chris Mcdonnell
    Favourite Chris Mcdonnell
    Report
    Jul 19th 2014, 9:21 AM

    Ex staff who use insider information should be jailed as the criminals they are

    61
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Silent Majority
    Favourite Silent Majority
    Report
    Jul 19th 2014, 2:56 PM

    Much, much easier said than done in the real world. Near impossible in Ireland. Sure we couldn’t even manage convictions against the Anglo boys who pretty much admitted market manipulation.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mick Madden
    Favourite Mick Madden
    Report
    Jul 19th 2014, 7:20 AM

    Will they get locked up I guess not !

    60
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kerry Blake
    Favourite Kerry Blake
    Report
    Jul 19th 2014, 7:50 AM

    Have not being reading about those who are trying to hide assets being prosecuted?

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute col c
    Favourite col c
    Report
    Jul 19th 2014, 8:53 AM

    Considering most of these developers have top financial and legal advisors and considering they had very little to gain by informing Nama about the full extent of their assets , you would have to wonder what the full amount of assets salted away by developers was , easily a multiple of the 800million anyway I’ve no doubt

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Marko Burns
    Favourite Marko Burns
    Report
    Jul 19th 2014, 9:16 AM

    But how many who owe Nama money, are still buying property off Nama ? It’s all a game…

    In fact they should make Nama: the board game. The Go to Jail card would be a hundred Euro note.

    29
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mike O Neill
    Favourite Mike O Neill
    Report
    Jul 19th 2014, 7:51 AM

    Figure should be ten fold.

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Phil Erup
    Favourite Phil Erup
    Report
    Jul 19th 2014, 9:25 AM

    They have “clawed back ” from people who did not put it beyond reach…

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bambi Keeling
    Favourite Bambi Keeling
    Report
    Jul 19th 2014, 2:38 PM

    I’m suprised they don’t have them sign an agreement to barring them using the information.

    4
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.