Monday, November 8th 2010

FG Fine Gael Councillor Naoise Ó Muirí today (Monday) hit out at the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) after it refused to meet with a Dublin City Council policy committee.

“The Chairman of NAMA, Mr. Frank Daly, wrote to the Economic, Planning and International Affairs Strategic Policy Committee declining an invitation to make a presentation to the Committee. He gave no reason for his refusal other than to say it was not possible to make a presentation ‘at this time’.

“This is simply not good enough. NAMA is now a major de-facto landholder in Dublin City. It has a role and a responsibility to work with City Council to ensure proper forward planning for these banks of land” Councillor Ó Muirí said.

“Every taxpayer in this country is in a heightened state of anger and anxiety over what lies ahead in the forth-coming budget. Accountability goes way beyond optics at this stage. Real accountability is what every citizen of this country and Dublin City demands. I am calling on Mr. Daly to make a public statement on why the Agency will not meet with Council Committees.”

“If they do not co-operate I will campaign for NAMA to be covered via the Freedom of Information Act. It is a will be a long road but one that must be travelled if they don’t cop-on and play ball,” the Councillor concluded.