Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Whatever the response to the letter would be, it is not relevant. The relevant fact is that we asked for this letter to be written and it has not been written one week later. Second, I do not understand why we do not have a representative of HSBC in Dublin today. The letter from HSBC states it thinks it could not assist, but I it might be able to do so. I received a telephone call from one of the members of staff here and was asked to take the second slot after Deputy Áine Collins today, which is fine, in putting questions to the Revenue Commissioners and, as I thought, the HSBC representative. When I rang the secretariat the day before yesterday, I asked if a representative of HSBC was coming to the meeting and was told "No." The reason given was that it would not be appropriate for them to come and sit in on the meeting. I then said I would like the representative to be here and asked the secretariat to request that they attend. I note that HSBC has not refused to come to the committee; the correspondent just states it does not think it can help us. I believe it could. I was assured that the staff would get in touch with the Chairman about whether they were to come. I do not know what happened after that, but it is my understanding that it was quite clear that they would be coming. It now appears that they are not. What happened? Did the staff get in touch with the Chairman?