Nama calls on O’Brien to report claims of impropriety to Garda

The Fianna Fáil leader in the Seanad, Senator Darragh O’Brien, has been challenged by the National Asset Management Agency to report claims of impropriety at the agency to the Garda.

In the Seanad yesterday Mr O’Brien said he was in receipt of information that would rock Nama to the core and he claimed it was already being investigated by the Garda. Government Senators challenged Mr O’Brien to take his allegations to the gardaí and suggested that the Seanad chamber was the wrong forum to raise the issue.

Mr O’Brien claimed that an investigation related to “corruption and impropriety’’ was under way at the largest property management company in the world which had responsibility for €74 billion in loans.

“Allegations have been made in the past couple of years with regard to how some of Nama’s current and former staff have used information they obtained during the course of their work,’’ he added. “It has been alleged that those to whom I refer have leaked or given this information to third parties . . . vulture funds and other investors,’’ said Mr O’Brien.

He said the leaks involved would confer financial advantage on those receiving them. Mr O’Brien added that it was crucial that Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan and Minister for Justice Alan Shatter come before the Seanad and make a statement on the matter.

Mr O’Brien said so many different items of information had been referred to in the House in the past two years that it seemed Nama staff, who were doing their level best, were being tarred with the same brush as individuals giving information to third parties.

Nama statement
In a statement last night Nama said: "The Senator's comments suggest that he has evidence of impropriety involving staff members of Nama.

“He has not shared any such evidence with Nama. Nor has Nama received any such evidence from any other party.

“If the Senator or any other party has evidence of any impropriety, they are legally obliged, under Section 19 of the Criminal Justice Act 2011, to bring it to the immediate attention of the Garda Síochána.”