Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have one small thing to say. I very much like the Chair's suggestion about writing to the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. My fundamental question is always about the extent to which this committee is culpable for what is happening in the Defence Forces. We are the cross-party committee with oversight. What is the extent of our powers? We are not bystanders in the implosion of the Defence Forces, and if we are, then we are failing. I like the Chair's suggestion of involving the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. I wonder if we should invite it before us to discuss these specific issues. I am not sure whether it would be willing to come because it has its own shadow parliamentary oversight committee, but under the circumstances, with the national catastrophe, to quote the RACO delegation, that is unfolding before us and has been for the past five years, there are probably grounds to bring the Department in or at least say this is absolutely unacceptable and has to stop. I would be grateful for the Chair's thoughts or guidance on that.