Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I fully agree with Deputy McDonald. Whether the people were formally invited or not - they should have been - there is no way in hell they did not know they were required here. If they had read a daily newspaper, or if they were in the Houses at the time and looked at the monitors here, they would clearly have known what we were discussing. It is quite offensive to the committee that the delegation we sought was not provided, nor was a satisfactory explanation given as to why it was not provided.

Any time we have been looking at these section 38 or section 39 agencies, it is quite normal that the chair of the board would attend with the chief executive. At the end of the day, the chief executive is an employee. The chairman of the board could also have provided significant light. The fact that the chairman of the board was not here is wholly inappropriate, so I concur with Deputy McDonald.