John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The arrangement made at the last meeting was that we would invite representatives of the Revenue Commissioners to the meeting and we understood HSBC Dublin was agreeable to sending a representative but that the representative would not know the details of the issues to be raised. I suggested we have the representative of HSBC Dublin attend the meeting in order that at least that person could hear at first hand the concerns of members and the response from the Revenue Commissioners. To refer again to the letter of 9 March, HSBC stated that, given the fact that it was not aware of some of the issues involved, it would assist where possible but that specific questions would have to be put in writing. What Deputy Shane Ross is raising is the fact that last week we agreed to do this in a particular way. Now, due to not extending an invitation to the representative in London, that will not happen today. When members agree to hold a meeting in a particular way and invite specific individuals to attend, this should be adhered to. That is the message to the clerk to the committee and the secretariat.