Wallace claims ‘€15,000 in a bag’ paid to Nama manager

Independent TD Mick Wallace has claimed a construction company made two payments of €15,000 “in a bag” to exit the National Asset Management Agency (Nama).

Mr Wallace claimed in the Dáil the manager of the portfolio in Nama said: “It will cost you €15,000 in cash and I want it in a bag”.

He said the construction firm paid the money and a few weeks later “he demanded the same again. They duly obliged and all was sorted.”

Mr Wallace also claimed judges, barristers, solicitors and top four accountancy firm partners were in Nama but their personal guarantees had not been enforced by Nama.

He also asked what role former secretary general of the Department of Finance John Moran had played in Nama's handling of a particular portfolio, which he claimed Mr Moran was "unnaturally interested in playing a significant role in".

Taoiseach Enda Kenny told him: “You’re making allegations and assumptions in the middle of which you say you have facts. You have a duty to bring those allegations, assertions or facts to PAC (Public Accounts Committee), which has full authority to follow through”.

Mr Kenny said: “There is no basis for any criminal charge that I have heard to be made against Nama or anybody associated with it or the Minister for Finance, or anybody in the Department of Finance.

“If you have evidence to the contrary, bring that to the gardaí or to the attention of the chairman of the PAC.”

Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett said the Dáil was not a ‘Star Chamber’. A Star Chamber was an ancient court in England, made up of judges and privy councillors that supplemented common-law courts.

The Wexford TD said neither the Comptroller & Auditor General nor the PAC had the potential to hold Nama to account.

The legislation did not allow for “intrusive monitoring” and lacked asset management oversight.

“Nama says the sale of Project Eagle was lawful but was the purchase lawful”, Mr Wallace asked of the sale of property with a book value of €4.5 billion to Cerberus, for €1.5 billion?

Mr Wallace said he thought a Fine Gael Government would have “a bit more concern about such moneys for fixers”, in relation to the £7 million in an Isle of Man account.

He asked the Taoiseach “do you know how many judges, barristers, solicitors, top four accountancy firm partners and bankers are in syndicates set up by Goodman (sic) Stockbrokers, Anglo Private, Bank of Ireland Private, AIB Private, Davey, Warren and Quinlan which have transferred to Nama but which Nama have not enforced, despite personal guarantees being attached”.

He said: “Nama is responsible for some people being tossed out of their homes but it looks like some of the great and good of Irish society are blessed with Nama’s good will.”