Green TD admits party structures need reform

GREEN PARTY backbencher Paul Gogarty said it was fair to state that his party’s membership structures needed to change, given that it was not possible to deal with urgent legislation by means of special conventions.

Speaking during the report stage of the National Asset Management Agency (Nama) Bill, Mr Gogarty also said that Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan had “unintentionally, I presume” caused some problems for the Greens.

His party, he said, had engaged in a “fulsome” debate and adopted a thorough process of analysis in respect of the draft Nama Bill.

“At our special conference, the legislation, as it then existed but with some amendments from the Green Party, was agreed by our membership,” said Mr Gogarty.

“At that point, however, the special purpose vehicle [SPV] and the surcharge were unknown to us.’’ Mr Gogarty said there were “members of the Green Party and cynical individuals in the media who argue that it was all a con job on behalf of our party leader’’.

They were claiming, he said, that the Green Party Oireachtas members knew about those matters and “were trying to pull the wool over the eyes of our members”. “For the record, that is clearly not the case,” he added.

Mr Lenihan agreed: “It is not the case.’’ Mr Gogarty said he would give the Minister the benefit of the doubt, adding that the announcement was only made when the relevant information had been obtained from Eurostat.

“In hindsight, it might have been better to indicate an intention to seek, subject to Eurostat approval, the establishment of an SPV,” he added. Mr Lenihan said: “We could not tell Eurostat what to do.” Mr Gogarty replied: “That is a fair comment.”

Earlier, Mr Lenihan said he favoured an Oireachtas committee scrutinising the Nama operations, but was opposed to an Opposition demand that it be enshrined in the legislation.

Mr Lenihan said that while scrutiny was desirable, oversight by the Oireachtas would interfere with the Nama board.

“So many powers have been conferred on this committee in the main Opposition party amendment that the committee would constitute itself a board of the Nama,’’ he added.

He said it would not be appropriate for the Oireachtas to appoint a second committee of experts to second-guess the decisions of the Nama board.

Mr Lenihan said he had accepted amendments that reports on Nama should be issued quarterly.

“We considered the vast information in that regard and the committee will have plenty of material to work on from a quarterly report,” he added.

Fine Gael’s Richard Bruton accused the Minister of “not even offering half a loaf; he is offering a single slice when providing for this committee”.

Labour spokeswoman Joan Burton claimed the Minister was playing with the House.

Sinn Féin’s Arthur Morgan said the passage of the Bill through the House was bordering on a shambles.

The report stage debate resumes today.