Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

My point is that when Deputy McGuinness had established the position in respect of the mission to Dubai, it is strange that he would have posed the question again with regard to another mission. The Deputy referred to mending fences. It is clear that there were tensions within the Department and I have no doubt that some of these arose because the Deputy did not have an office or a desk. Again, however, this gives rise to the question as to what was his level of interaction with the officials. The Deputy has indicated in his testimony that at no stage was any official placed under duress or any pressure to go along with any arrangement. I accept what he has said in this regard.