Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman. These letters, certainly the one from Dore & Company solicitors, are pretty well beneath contempt. This is a kind of contrived tissue of allegations in order to obstruct the work of the committee. I do not believe we have any option whatsoever, in view of this long-winded letter with its large amount of fantasy suggestions about members of this committee, but to go to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. I fully support what was said in this regard. It is utterly absurd for us to get a letter of this sort when we are simply seeking to make people who have handled public money come in to us and account for it. We are not seeking to witch-hunt anybody at all. As Deputy O'Donnell said, it is not personal. The people we are seeking are not the people to judge whether they can help us or not; we are the people who can do that. The Chairman and my colleagues are 100% right that we must now go straight for the compellability option.