Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I fully agree with the proposal to immediately move to make the request to the CPP for compellability powers. On the letter received from Dore & Company Solicitors on behalf of Mr. Flannery, all I can say is it contains allegations that some members of the committee, which could include me, have acted without lawful jurisdiction and abused their powers. I take offence to that remark that I may have ever done that at this committee. As I have said previously in regard to the correspondence from this individual, it has amounted to the most blatant attack on the powers of an Oireachtas committee by any person of standing in Irish society to block an Oireachtas committee in its work. The allegations against us, individually and collectively, are a disgrace and I reject out of hand that at any stage I have abused my power as a member of this committee. I am sure other members will feel the same, but I must state that for the record. I have never seen such an effort by an individual in Ireland to go to such lengths to not appear before the Committee of Public Accounts. We must seek compellability powers.