Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In her opening statement, Ms Feehily placed considerable reliance on a distinction between what she has described as the fact and detail of the disquiet of Ms West and Ms Galligan and the content of their direct communication. That is a fine distinction to try and draw.

I want to put several quotes from the committee meeting on 7 March with Ms West and Ms Galligan.

Deputy Jack Chambers asked Ms West, "Was she concerned that the Policing Authority had made no contact with her or Ms Galligan?" She responded, "I have to be honest and say yes, I was very concerned."

She was further asked, "Ms West was concerned that the Policing Authority had made no attempt to engage with her on the issues she had brought to bear." She responded:

Yes; I am sure it must have had a rationale. I know that there are governance structures in place and chains of command, but I felt that if I was in that position and had people who clearly wanted to tell me something or be sure I was in possession of all the facts, I would have wanted to sit down and listen to what they had to say.

Deputy Kelly asked, "If people from the Policing Authority were watching Ms West and me talking now and they asked to meet her, would Ms West accept that request and welcome it?" Ms West responded, "Absolutely, yes."

Further on, Deputy Brophy observed, "It is not just that the Policing Authority ignored it, then; it formally declined." He later asked, "Do the witnesses believe the Policing Authority let them down in how it dealt with them?" Ms West answered, "Yes."

I know Ms Feehily has offered a defence of the Policing Authority's response to this. However, it is clear Ms Galligan and Ms West felt that they were let down and their concerns were not dealt with promptly or adequately.