David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I join previous speakers in expressing my unhappiness regarding the lack of response and the inability of the accounting officer to answer basic questions about the cost of the liquidation of IBRC. We need to come back to this in more general terms because there is a pattern here. References to commercial sensitivity and legal advice and the outsourcing of some work are creating a barrier between this committee and witnesses and accounting officers. While such officials are not legally compelled to come here and answer questions, there would be an expectation that they would answer basic questions. I would say they are certainly obliged to do so. In recent months, representatives of Nursing Homes Ireland, the HSE, the education and training boards, An Garda Síochána, the Department of Education and Skills, HIQA, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the Department of Finance - in terms of PPPs - have offered references to commercial sensitivity or legal advice as a cover or cloak to avoid answering what I would see as basic questions. I think we need to come back to it. Deputy MacSharry is right when he asks how we can do our work in such circumstances. I am not putting this as a question to Mr. Carville. I am making an observation and recommending that we should come back to his issue as part of our discussion on our work programme at a later stage. On that subject, will Mr. Carville outline to the committee the nature of the court case that is being taken?