I am advised that the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) has incurred recruitment costs in respect of employees assigned to the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) of €316,000 during 2011 and €197,000 for the nine months ending 30 September. Such recruitment costs include fees paid to recruitment agencies, pre-employment medical tests and psychometric testing, and advertising. The NTMA and NAMA have sought to minimise recruitment costs through the direct advertisement of staff vacancies on their websites. Under Section 42 (4) of the National Asset Management Agency Act, NAMA is required to reimburse NTMA for the costs incurred including the recruitment and assignment of staff to NAMA.