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

I thank the Comptroller and Auditor General for clarifying the situation. There was some confusion earlier in regard to this. I appreciate the Chairman's bona fides but one of the reasons I mentioned Standing Order 186 earlier, is that we try not to pre-empt political attacks without having all the facts before us. There are very serious concerns regarding some aspects of the Garda Síochána without adding further, unnecessary attack.

We need to tread carefully in this committee. I have not seen the headlines to which Deputy Cullinane referred but I accept that there probably are headlines. There is a lot of attention on this committee. I am not saying that the Chairman is trying to maximise political capital but in future perhaps there is a way that if there are financial irregularities such as the Chairman mentioned these could be clarified with the Comptroller and Auditor General in advance. Otherwise we cause unnecessary furore and time wasting when it is not in anybody's interest to do that.