Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This hearing is due to take place in seven days and, as the Chairman noted, the committee has had no response to its invitations to people to attend. Yesterday, eight days before the meeting, members were informed that the chief executive officer is to stand down and is to retire. While I am unsure of the motivations in this regard, I would hate it to be perceived that it is okay, shortly before a committee meeting to which members have invited one to attend, to resign and thereby get off the hook. The information may be sourced in various individuals and those individuals are expected to attend next week to give that information and to answer for the taxpayers' money, and members need to see them.