Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to ask one question and make one comment. My question is in regard to the motor vehicles. Are the witnesses aware that in all instances, benefit-in-kind would be paid on all of those transactions? The witnesses can come back to me with an answer

I want to make a general comment. In fairness to the witnesses here, this is the third day that they have come before Oireachtas committees and answered questions. We may not have been happy with all of the answers, but the sessions have been very lengthy. I realise we have asked tough questions. I have not been happy with some of our colleagues and the manner in which they phrased some of their questions. One can disagree with somebody but one can be respectful. I would hope that in my case and that of most of my colleagues and the regular attenders at this committee, people know that it is not our intention to be disrespectful. We want to get to the bottom of this and we do expect accountability and transparency. I want to make one other comment, which is crucial to the the hearings that are going to take place. We are due to have Ryan Tubridy and Noel Kelly before the committees next week. To the question about Ryan Tubridy not being on air, because of the hearings, Oireachtas TV will probably get higher viewership figures next week than some of RTÉ's programming. It is important that time is allocated and priority given to people who regularly attend this committee. I would hope that when we are debating the future of public sector broadcasting and some of the bigger picture issues, that we also have to address, that we will have the same level of interest in the debates that are going on here.