Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I was a bit late arriving so I missed the correspondence and offer my apologies for that. I am deeply disappointed but not surprised by the Minister's correspondence. I believe he has let his entire Department down because this is a very serious issue. He said it would be inappropriate to attend but that is a nonsensical statement. The pensions are on a statutory footing and are on foot of a ministerial order so there is an onus on the Minister to come in here and answer questions and he needs to take charge of this. I support the calls for an independent investigation and for the Minister to agree to fund independent legal advice.

Correspondence relating to this meeting was sent out last Tuesday.

When I queried it yesterday, I was told that the Minister's office was informed on the Friday but the invitation was sent out on Tuesday. We decided on this meeting more than four weeks ago. From the committee's perspective, when we request a Minister to attend a transport committee, is it standard practice that he or she is just given one week's notice? Some four or five weeks' ago we gave a commitment to hold this meeting. Given that everyone else has a schedule, and I am aware that a Minister's schedule is especially busy, if it is standard practice that the Minister is just given one week's notice then it is a dismal failing on behalf of the committee. It is sloppy and slack. All of the representatives are at the committee today and the Minister is, yet again, absconding from his responsibilities. If it is the case that the committee fell down with regard to administration by sending the request just one week in advance of the meeting, then we need to examine the matter clearly. All of the representatives are here today and we expected the Minister to attend. Giving him the excuse of having only one week's notice is letting him off the hook. That is not what this committee is about.