Clerk to the Committee:

To recap very quickly, a decision was taken last week not to refer the request from Sergeant McCabe's solicitors to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, CPP, for a decision on giving him a transcript. The discussion we had was based on the procedural advice the committee received that we were not in a position to release the transcript because it would mark a fundamental change in procedure which would affect other committees in future. From this point of view, the advice was to refer it to the CPP. Another issue raised was that the Oireachtas would not be in a position to provide a redacted transcript of the evidence. On this basis the committee decided, with Deputy Ross dissenting, that it would not send a transcript or accede to Sergeant McCabe's request. This is where we are set.