Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not have a difficulty with the assurance and the issue of the leaking is fine. They are separate issues to those which the Chairman has dealt with. It is very important to state as a Government member of the committee that if we want to explore this more it is very clear to anybody looking from the outside in and to colleagues on the committee, that Government members of the committee have participated in the publication and production of reports and the interrogation of witnesses which, it would be fair to say, would not have been comfortable for any Government of any day. This is important to note.

It is also important to note the committee has never divided on an issue other than the election of the Chairman. The Government has an inbuilt majority, were it to use it, which it never has. I make this point in the sense there is no evidence to suggest any Government Deputy on the committee has been less vociferous than any member of the committee who may not be a Government Deputy. I want to put this on the record.