Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am not referring to you, a Chathaoirligh. There is political messing happening on this issue. We have been stalled in completing our work not least because of a staffing issue on the one hand, as it now emerges. On the other hand the political system, in the form of the Government, is saying that it is stalling the ball on a commission it had already committed to on the basis that it wanted to see our report. It is completely unacceptable to put this committee and us as parliamentarians into that position. I would go so far as to say that if at this stage we have to postpone all other work to finish our work on Project Eagle, if the Taoiseach or anybody else is using this as a pretext to delay a commitment they entered into - I certainly speak for my colleague, Deputy Cullinane, and I imagine for others - I am not prepared to be used in that way. I find it utterly unacceptable. Let us remember the ambition had been to publish all of this at Christmas time. That got held up; we all understood that.