The call by Alan Dukes, director of Anglo Irish Bank, for Nama to be covered by the Freedom of Information Act should also embrace Anglo given that it could account for about half of all loans going into Nama. This should enable taxpayers to find out about Anglo's bondholders, the cost of winding up and its extraordinary lending decisions.
By my reckoning Nama will, unless it is very lucky or tough-minded, have to write off about €11 billion of unpaid interest on top of loan defaults of least €20 billion over the next ten years. Given the scale of these losses, it is essential that Nama's and Anglo's plans and operations be open to maximum public scrutiny.
Letter published in the Sunday Business Post on 16th May 2010.
