Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The committee put forward the proposal in part in the context of the information which came into the public domain in relation to the children's hospital and the stunning cost overruns. That is understandable on the part of the committee.

Both Secretaries General have at times appeared before the committee. It is not an unreasonable request. While Mr. Watt has now agreed to meet the committee, it is reasonable that he would facilitate the committee in a reasonable timeframe to come in and discuss the issues that the committee wants to discuss with him. It is good that he has now agreed but, as Deputy Pearse Doherty stated, a quick phone call or short suspension of the business should be perfectly capable of sorting this out.