Nama has written to the independent TD Mick Wallace to call on him to bring forward any evidence he might have to back up his claims made in the Dáil that one Nama loan book was “stitched up” to ensure it ended up with a particular investment firm.
The Wexford TD today claimed there was growing suspicion that the process was designed specifically so that winning bidders Cerberus would be successful – a charge which Nama have today denied in their letter to Mr Wallace.
This evening a senior Nama manager writing to the TD wrote that the loans were only sold "after an open market sales process".
“At this stage there is a strong belief that Cerberus were earmarked to get this project hail rain or snow, and the whole thing was stitched up so that they would get it, and Nama are involved in that and they cannot distance themselves,” Mr Wallace said in the Dáil earlier today.
“This is the latest in a long series of unsubstantiated allegations made by you relating to Nama,” Martin Whelan, Head of Relationship Management at Nama, wrote to Mr Wallace.
Earlier this year Mr Wallace said in the Dáil that a developer had paid two installments of €15,000 in cash in order to exit the agency.
The agency has denied any wrongdoing in connection to the incident, or in its handling of the sale of Northern Ireland loans.
“At no stage have you brought any of these allegations to the attention of Nama or given the Agency any opportunity to respond to them,” Mr Whelan continued.
The letter claims Cerberus purchases of assets were “sold after an open market sales process”, and goes on that only the Board of Nama have authority to approve any sale, and not any one individual.
“Your most recent allegation against Nama, like those before, has been made under Dáil privilege and, as of yet, without you producing a shred of supporting evidence. ... In the interest of fairness and accuracy, I would ask you to engage with Nama to allow the Agency the right of reply,” Mr Whelan said, adding that if Mr Wallace cannot engage with the Agency he should contact Gardaí.
Gardaí are currently investigating previous claims made by Mr Wallace in relation to Nama.
