Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The letter is so absurd in its personal attacks that it is why I said we should probably just note it and ignore it, in the sense of not answering it in detail point by point. The whole objective of this letter is to make it personal. It is to make us respond in a personal way in order to obscure the real issue. It is quite obvious that the tactics are diversionary. I do not know how many members of the committee are criticised in this letter and I do not particularly care, to be honest. It is a four-page rant against us individually, one by one. We should rise above that and say that we are going for compellability. We do not intend to respond in this arena. We can do it outside or wherever we like, but we do not intend to respond in this arena to personal attacks because it is not a personal committee.

I do not think they are right in saying that we have been personal against them. They happen to be people who we are calling in and who feel very strongly about it. Inevitably, we have to ask them questions and make comments on their behaviour because that is our job. I do not believe, however, that there is any point in saying, point by point, that this or that is wrong. There are so many things in it that are utter nonsense, so I see no point in treating it with anything but contempt.