Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 June 2013
82. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide information indicating the country of origin of the purchasers of securities in the former Anglo Irish Bank in the period 2005-2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29547/13]
View answerI am advised that the process of issuing new bonds is normally through underwriting, where one or more securities firms or banks form a syndicate buying the entire bond issue from the issuer and then re-selling to investors. Primary issuance is arranged by these syndicates who contact potential investors and advise the bond issuer in terms of timing, tenor and pricing of the bond issue. The bond issuer will likely have little knowledge of the original owners of the bonds; also these initial investors may over time sell the bonds to other investors. I have been advised that the bank has no means of establishing the underlying ownership of these securities which are freely tradable once issued. These securities are publicly traded and dealt through market participants and settled by clearing house systems. An issuer does not have any access to the records of the clearing house. At maturity, the Bank will instruct its paying agent to transfer the funds due to the clearing house who will then distribute the funds to the holders of the securities as per their records. Even where the bank is presented with lists alleging to represent names of bondholders I am informed there is no way for the bank or anyone else to verifying the veracity of such lists.
