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The original, unredacted version of this letter has gone missing in the Department of Finance

Noonan may ask Bank of Ireland for missing bank guarantee documents

The Department of Finance is now making efforts to locate two letters related to the bank guarantee which have gone missing, according to Minister Michael Noonan.

FINANCE MINISTER MICHAEL Noonan has confirmed that his officials are now trying to find the original copies of two documents related to the banking crisis that went missing in his Department, and may seek them from Bank of Ireland.

In response to a series of parliamentary questions from Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty, who discovered the documents had gone missing, Noonan has for the first time confirmed that officials are making efforts to locate the original documents.

It emerged earlier this month that the original versions of two letters, both concerning a possible investment in Bank of Ireland in January 2009 and which were copied to the then-finance minister Brian Lenihan, have gone missing.

Copies of both letters are only available in redacted form although one of them has been partially recovered by officials in the Department through the ministerial representation tracking system.

Noonan has also confirmed that the Department is looking into whether it can obtain copies of the letters between BOI governor Richard Burrows and tax consultant Noel M Cocoran from the bank and the consultant.

Bank of Ireland declined to comment when asked if they would provide  the letters, with a spokesperson saying: “It is Bank policy not to comment publicly on specific interactions with Government or Government officials.”

Corcoran could not be reached for comment.

‘Not directly related to bank guarantee’

Noonan pointed out that the documents “are not directly related to the guarantee” and said his officials are continuing efforts to locate the original documents – something the Department would not confirm when asked last week.

“My Department is continuing its efforts to locate the original documents received in the department, and is also investigating whether copies are available from the original correspondents,” Noonan said in a written answer released today.

In a statement released at the time the disappearance emerged, the Department said it did not know how or why the documents went missing and Doherty said this evening this remains a key question.

“Could it have been misfiled, shredded or taken by previous office holders? They are questions that need to be answered. This isn’t a trivial matter,” he told TheJournal.ie

Noonan also said in his written response that additional controls apply to sensitive documents and files and said he is “not aware” of any documents in the period relating to the bank guarantee that cannot be located.

He said that as part of the process of record-keeping, the section in the Department to whom the file is registered specifies whether it can only be seen by that section.

“On the file tracking system the file is marked on the comment field as containing private and confidential material or secret material. These procedures are reviewed regularly,” Noonan said.

Doherty said that he would be seeking information on what if any comments were applied to the missing letters, if any additional controls applied to them and how many people would have had access to them.

Read: ‘We need to get to the bottom of this’: More details sought on missing bank guarantee letters

Read: The Department of Finance has lost letters connected to the bank guarantee

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48 Comments
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    Mute Montys Moonshine
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 8:35 PM

    He “may” ask them. He better damn well more than ask them, he should be demanding them.

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    Mute Cillian_Durkin
    Favourite Cillian_Durkin
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 10:20 PM

    Now that it has been exposed the have no choice but to ask them. Fair play to Doherty for tracking this issue down.

    There will be some frantic phone calls from FF’ers to their buddies in Bank of Ireland asking for shredding mistakes etc.

    111
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    Mute Peter Richardson
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    Jan 23rd 2014, 12:23 AM

    Don’t ever ask; never ever tell.

    Ireland 2000 to 2200

    25
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    Mute Dhakina's Sword
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    Jan 23rd 2014, 12:30 AM

    Apologies for going off topic, but why are comments not allowed on the above Rehab salaries article. It’s not as if the matter is before the courts, as of yet. An explanation would be appreciated. No explanation would raise suspicions. Regardless, have a good night.

    33
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    Mute Harry Price
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    Jan 23rd 2014, 2:51 AM

    Who a\re you codding Mr Hittler.

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    Mute rodrigo detriano
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 8:40 PM

    We couldn’t build a prison big enough to hold the gangsters running this country!

    172
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    Mute Alan Johnson
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 8:38 PM

    “May ask”????

    Jesus wept.

    160
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    Mute Joe Mc Dermott
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    Jan 23rd 2014, 2:44 AM

    May ask?? maybe its bad journalism,,, ronaldo may score a goal next week,, Ireland may host the 2023 Rugby World Cup, stupid journalism

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    Mute THE VOICE
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 8:46 PM

    Think Bank of Ireland will be sh1tting themselves when a 71 year old pensioner comes looking for two documents…..

    119
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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 8:46 PM

    As everyone thinks it would be great to have a island to put all the criminals on ,well it looks like we have one : Ireland :

    117
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    Mute Patricia Ann McCarthy Moore
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 9:01 PM

    Well said Flop.

    46
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    Mute Ogochukwu
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 9:18 PM

    Well said ,Patricia

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    Mute Alan Johnson
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 9:20 PM

    Well said Ogochukwu.

    43
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    Mute Phyllis Murphy
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 11:36 PM

    Someone had to say it, well said Alan!

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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Jan 23rd 2014, 12:44 AM

    Well said Phyllis.

    8
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    Mute Stephen McMahon
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    Jan 23rd 2014, 4:22 AM

    Feeling unloved Mike?

    5
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    Mute Ruairi Colton
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    Jan 23rd 2014, 4:38 AM

    Well said mike

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    Mute Buckwheat MacMillan
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    Jan 23rd 2014, 5:47 AM

    Well said Ruairi

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    Mute Joseph Siddall
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    Jan 23rd 2014, 2:47 PM

    Well said Buckwheat.

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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 8:35 PM

    If the documents have gone missing how does Noonan know what they relate to?

    115
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    Mute dB O'Neill
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 8:41 PM

    So while they all faff about talking about how and when a bank enquiry will happen other people gradually take relivent documentation and ‘mislay’ it.
    What will be left as evidence by the time the enquiry starts I wonder?

    94
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    Mute Black Dog
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 11:55 PM

    Buck all pal ! Thats the way in Ireland….cute hoorism runnin riot.

    18
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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 8:43 PM

    Like the Irish Crown Jewels they will never be found

    67
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    Mute Paul Mc
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 9:10 PM

    Fianna Gael will only find the missing documents if its to their own benefit.

    68
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    Mute Tony
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 8:43 PM

    Only two documents missing ?

    59
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    Mute Martin Ryan
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 9:15 PM

    Does noonan think if he asks for these documents their are suddenly going to reappear,sounds like a bit of selective PR to be honest.

    50
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    Mute Declan Byrne
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 9:00 PM

    Fg ministry of mis information have them well hidden so the public will never know

    49
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    Mute colin
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    Jan 23rd 2014, 1:05 AM

    Is it not a fianna fail document relating to their bank guarantee?

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    Mute Ogochukwu
    Favourite Ogochukwu
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 8:59 PM

    We give you Mr Bank 8.7bn ..lol and you say no to giving us 2 pieces of paper ..lol

    46
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    Mute Darragh O Meara
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 9:10 PM

    I reckon if someone went to the trouble of destroying the gov copies they went further and destroyed the original senders copy too.

    41
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    Mute Sean Mckevitt
    Favourite Sean Mckevitt
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 9:30 PM

    May ask.
    Ffs noonan , grow some balls and just go and take the fechin documents , u owes at least that much

    39
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    Mute Snorre Sturleson
    Favourite Snorre Sturleson
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 9:51 PM

    Please may I have the documents? Naw p*ss off baldy! Ohh, ok. Phew narrow eacape.

    34
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    Mute Paul Wallace
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 9:36 PM

    This is all very Irish

    33
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    Mute D
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 9:12 PM

    Surely the recipient has a copy of them.

    32
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    Mute tmwtbc
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 11:50 PM

    That’s the gist of the piece but neither the recipient nor issuer are obliged to hand them. It was copied to Lenihan as a secondary party.

    7
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    Mute Dave
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 9:19 PM

    What are they going to tell us. That it’s all been a bad dream and we don’t really owe Europe a ball of money.

    31
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    Mute David Clarke
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 9:09 PM

    Isn’t he just a great lad all together

    30
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    Mute john kinsella
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 11:11 PM

    It’ obvious they know the contents of the documents. Maybe there protecting some one as guilty and incompetent as Kevin Cardiff who is still employed by dept of finance. I’ed say theirs a lot of them.

    28
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    Mute Pj Berry
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 9:19 PM

    Gives a whole new meaning to a paper chase. Pathetic.

    24
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    Mute Trevor Beacom
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 11:44 PM

    Why are the comments closed on the rehab press release??

    17
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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 8:59 PM

    Isn’t there a right against incriminating yourself?

    16
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    Mute johngahan
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 8:50 PM

    Surely inadmissable evidence if provided by the perpetrator?

    11
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    Mute Beabad Bishop
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 10:35 PM

    Wouldn’t put it past some anti FG & labour members of the civil service to “lose” documentation to make the government look incompetent.

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    Mute Cillian_Durkin
    Favourite Cillian_Durkin
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 10:50 PM

    These were lost during the Fianna Fáil regime.

    FF’s survival as an organization depends on documents like these being destroyed.

    Transparency and truth will kill FF dead.

    25
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    Mute Colette Kearns
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    Jan 23rd 2014, 2:57 AM

    O.K. SO A VERY STALE COMMENT AT THIS STAGE, BUT WOW DOES THAT “WE MAY ASK” REMARK NOT GIVE YOU THE WAKE UP CALL ON HOW CORRUPT OUR GOVERMENT IS??? A 79 YEAR OLD WOMAN DYING FROM CANCER IN JAIL FOR PROTESTING, & THE PEOPLE THAT BROUGHT THIS COUNTRY TO ITS KNEES (& STILL DOING IT ) ARE GETTING AWAY SCOT FREE. IT BEGGARS BELIEF.

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    Mute Adam Graham
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    Jan 22nd 2014, 11:25 PM

    Kinsealy isn’t in Dublin 17 at all, the postman probably has the two letters along with that letter bomb I posted to financial regulator

    4
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    Mute Tom Brennan
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    Jan 23rd 2014, 1:23 AM

    nice, very nicely worded ‘ministerial tracking system’… what is that?

    If that is such a thing exists, it would have tracked down the documents, down to originality and traceability, right?

    Ah here, d’ya take us for fools…

    2
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    Mute Wasel1994
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    Jan 23rd 2014, 4:51 AM

    if you want to earn reasonable money on internet just working for a few hour so ,plz read this
    website more time and take lots of benefits,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, http://x.vu/nY006e

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