Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Chairman and his committee invited me to discuss an ECOFIN meeting on Tuesday. I have given the committee preliminary documentation on the agenda. It is unreasonable to ask me to be held accountable for everything across my departmental brief when I have been invited to discuss the ECOFIN agenda. It is not that I am reluctant to do so but I am hesitant in case I give inaccurate information to committee members speaking from memory when I have not briefed myself on the issues raised and without accompanying documentation. I am quite prepared to answers the questions but I would prefer if members proceeded by way of parliamentary question and tabled written questions. Then, I will supply answers but I hesitate to do so now because I have only the brief on ECOFIN. I briefed myself on that topic last night.