Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have heard Deputy MacSharry. This is a letter from a very senior person in the Department of Education and Skills. He states on paper that he has received unfair treatment. That is serious. He has told us that and we heard Deputy MacSharry's response. I think we should take this matter seriously.

I am concerned about the last line in the letter which states that he would be happy to meet the Chair and the clerk to discuss how this might be achieved. I do not think that should happen. We need to decide independently, as a committee, that we are satisfied with the way we question people, and it should not be as a result of meeting someone outside of that. That is my only comment on that sentence but I certainly think it is a serious letter.