Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

During the aforementioned meeting of 13 May 2021, I outlined a scenario. I said:

There will then be a meeting with three representatives, two of whom - who will remain unnamed - may decide to overturn the recommendation of their own inspector and the local authority's decision, while providing minimal information as to how they came to that decision. It is quite possible that these representatives will never have set foot in the county, never mind having looked at the site in question. I do not aim to cast aspersions on any members of the board, current or past, but does Mr. Walsh see how there is the potential for corruption in such a system?

Mr. Walsh responded:

I completely reject any allegations of corruption. Sorry Deputy, I think it is unfair to make any claims like that.

He said this even though I had been very clear that I was not making any claims. As Deputy Munster has noted, Mr. Walsh also said:

I would challenge anybody to say that there is anything other than proper consideration given to all applications and appeals that come before us.

Given that there are now three separate reviews, investigations, audits or whatever you want to call them under way, does Mr. Walsh now accept that there was, in fact, scope for corruption in the way in which the board is structured?