Pearse Doherty

-----and to impress on the Tánaiste that the USC and tax credits are the best way to deliver a fair package.

8. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the number of offers made for PTSB prior to the launch of the formal sales process and to outline the engagement with the executive management of PTSB regarding the offers. [48249/26]

We have seen a number of media reports – I am sure the Tánaiste has read them – about when the Government was approached with offers in relation to PTSB, and when that was communicated to the executive management of the bank. Will the Tánaiste provide clarity to the Dáil and clear this issue up? How many offers were made for PTSB prior to the launch of the formal sale process? Will the Tánaiste ou…

Maybe the Tánaiste will clarify that Centerbridge Partners only made one offer. I think he suggested it was on 5 September last year. The public and other shareholders of PTSB are looking at this sale and wondering why we are selling off a public asset on the cheap. When something looks like a bad deal, there is extra scrutiny on the process, and that scrutiny has led to journalists and shareholde…

With respect, it is more than just an issue for the CEO of PTSB. We are the majority shareholder of the bank and the Tánaiste is the person who holds the share on behalf of the Irish people. There is a genuine question here. Regardless of whether we believe that this has been sold on the cheap, it is a deal worth €1.6 billion. It is not a small amount of money. We have a situation where the State,…

I welcome Deputy Ward's motion and am delighted to be able to sign it. There is no doubt that huge credit is due to people like Professor Paul Dunlop and his colleagues at Ulster University, as well as Members of this House, including members of my own party such as Deputy Mac Lochlainn and others who have led the charge along with Deputy Ó Broin in relation to this area here. The reality is that…

An tseachtain seo caite, vótáil Rialtas an Taoisigh leis an dlí a athrú chun praghsanna peitril agus díosail a ardú ón 1 Lúnasa. Mar gheall ar chinntí an Rialtais, ardóidh praghas an díosail 32 cent agus praghas an pheitril 27 cent. Ní féidir leis an Rialtas leanúint ar aghaidh leis na harduithe seo ar pheitreal agus ar dhíosal. Caithfidh sé a aithint go bhfuil botún mór déanta aige agus réiteach …

I am assuming nothing. Last week I put forward an amendment that would see those increases not taking effect. The Taoiseach accused me of games. This is nothing to do with games. How dare you? When I give voice to the concerns of people right across the State about the Government putting up the price of petrol and diesel by 32 cent, which it voted for last week, that is not a game for them. When p…

There was.

You think there was no vote last week.

Okay.

Does the Taoiseach think we should pat him on the back-----

-----when he pushes up the price of petrol?

Is that what he wants? Does he want a pat on the back for pushing up the prices? Not a chance.

You voted for it last week.

Women's Aid has recorded the highest level of domestic abuse disclosures in history. The organisation's annual report is a stark reminder for us all that, for many women and children, escaping domestic abuse is made harder by failures that are within the Government's power to fix. Victims are trapped by the housing crisis, delays in the family court, inadequate access to civil legal aid and a fami…

What about my question?

I thank the Taoiseach.

I move amendment No. 1: In page 8, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following: “Report on NAMA performance 7.The Minister shall, within 6 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the performance of NAMA including a specific analysis on the potential for higher returns to the State had the property portfolio been managed for longer…

In regard to the reasons I outlined, I understand the Minister of State has to defend NAMA and his position but the facts speak for themselves. The Comptroller and Auditor General's facts also speak for themselves and for that reason, I am pressing the amendment.

I move amendment No. 2: In page 8, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following: “Report on transfer of staff to NTMA 7.The Minister shall, within 1 month of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report detailing all of the transfer of staff from NAMA to the NTMA, provide information on salary and if any existing vacancies were filled or new positio…

For the reasons that we are no wiser after the five-minute contribution from the Minister of State in relation to whether the CEO of NAMA is going to go into the NTMA on €430,000, whether there is going to be a vacancy there or whether a job is going to be created, I will press the amendment because, obviously, no light has been shone by the Minister of State on this issue.

I still have no more answers from what the Minister of State said. We still do not know what the salary scale is going to be, whether the job at senior level has been created, whether he is going to keep his €430,000 or whether the contract he has at the minute will actually be remuneration, which entitles him not just to €430,000 but a bonus of a portion of that. I think it is about 25% on an ann…

It will not come out in the annual report because as the Minister of State said, he is not an Accounting Officer. Therefore, we will never have-----

There is never a responsibility for him to publish what he is getting.