Mr. Ted Owens:

The first thing I did when I became CEO of the education and training board was to meet Mr. Humphrey Deegan, who was a councillor at the time. He came back onto the audit committee. He was on the first audit committee. I regret that Councillor Humphrey Deegan felt he had to resign. I regret that he was voted off the committee. The VECs had no statutory authority to try to remove Councillor Humphrey Deegan, and he was not removed because it could not be done. The Minister made that quite clear. I want to put that on record. I apologise to Councillor Humphrey Deegan and I am sorry about what transpired.