Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

How would Mr. Culhane reconcile the fact that someone highlights these matters as not being addressed with the fact that they would appear, at least from where we sit, as embezzlement, as one colleague described it, or, at the least, very poor management? Some people might even call what happened theft. In his opening statement, Niall Kelly indicated that, under the rules and the law, money must go back to the State and that it did not do so in this instance. Mr. Culhane was aware of it, albeit that he put it into Cyril Dunne’s pigeonhole and it out of his own remit. How can Mr. Culhane reconcile seeking a criminal investigation into a colleague for highlighting that these matters had not been dealt with, albeit that he had passed them to the pigeonhole next door? Given the criteria he applied to suggesting that Mr. Barrett should be investigated - with potential criminal charges involved - is it not Mr. Culhane, who, at least by virtue of his title as finance director, should at this point be investigated with a view to possible criminal issues?