Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 13 June 2013

Public Accounts Committee

Statement by Chairman

11:20 am

Photo of Gerald NashGerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Yes. In the e-mail of 29 August 2007, Deputy McGuinness states in the second last sentence: "I am logical, reasonable and tolerant, but I will not be intimidated by you [the assistant secretary], the Minister, an "ethical" position or the attitude of the press." This is quite a terse exchange between the Deputy and the assistant secretary of the Department. Obviously tensions were running high and it was quite frustrating for the Deputy to be in that Department and dealing with the civil servants who were trying to impose a view that the Minister of State did not appreciate or accept. Deputy McGuinness is a high profile critic of the Civil Service and sometimes those particular criticisms are justified but have these exchanges coloured his judgment on the efficiency or otherwise of the public service? I was just wondering.

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