Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was taken aback when the Chairman revealed in the Dáil last night what the Minister, Deputy Noonan, had said to him because the Chairman told us that he had a meeting with the Minister or that he had bumped into him in the canteen but he did not tell us what the Minister said. I am not trying to bring the Chairman's character into disrepute but I thought it was opportunistic to say it under the rule of privilege in the Dáil when it should have been said to us here and the Minister should have been afforded an opportunity to respond. Also, there is very much an assumption on this committee- with which I have difficulty - that the Minister approached the Chairman or that we seem to believe that the Minister approached the Chairman rather than it being the case that the Chairman approached him.

We do not know what happened and this scenario is all alleged. I am not saying the Chairman's words are untrue and conversely, I cannot say what the Minister has said is untrue. We have a difficulty and we must get to the bottom of it. It is incorrect, however, to assume the Minister for Finance's bona fides are incorrect and I was very disappointed by that stance.

My integrity, as a Fine Gael Deputy on this committee, is important. Therefore, I cannot stand over a report the words within which are not to my satisfaction. I am entitled to take such a stance. If I believe the rest of the committee is using political manoeuvres, then I am entitled to say so just as much as anyone else is entitled to say it about us. That is all I want to say.