John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Finally - for the time being, anyway - on the issue of the apology, Mr. O'Brien mentioned the rebuttal to the Irish Examiner. Frankly, if Daniel McConnell had not written that story in the Irish Examiner, we would not be sitting here talking about this today. With regard to Mr. O'Brien's two-page rebuttal, which was very detailed and very specific with regard to individuals - how they did it, what they said - is he comfortable that he was given the correct information? He stated that it was a misunderstanding; I do not believe that. I think it was dressed up. I believe the two individuals who were meant to give that apology were never instructed to give the apology, and they made it clear to people after the fact that they did not give the apology. With regard to Mr. O'Brien's version of events, which I will not go into, I do not believe it occurred the way it has been characterised. In some ways that is a good thing, because we would not be talking about this and we would not have a commission of investigation if Mr. O'Brien had not gone to the bother of rebutting that story in the two-page letter to the committee.

It was, as it has turned out, not a negative thing. The director general can go ahead.