Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

After the session this morning, there are many people wondering to where the Committee of Public Accounts goes next. We have been focused in our contributions to date in terms of chronicling what happened, putting together a report and making recommendations. We still have a significant amount of work to do on those elements and the evidence given today will allow us to complete significant parts of the report. We should go ahead with the secretariat to do that and not delay any further in that regard. Unless there is a speedy resolution to the issue of the note, however, we should move to request compellability from the Oireachtas. That process will take time. It is important that RTÉ know the committee is united in seeking compellability in respect of that document and is willing to make the request of our Oireachtas colleagues. That would also give RTÉ the opportunity to respond in a flexible way as was suggested earlier. Having participated in the session this morning, the witnesses who were present will surely reflect on the fact that an internal principle should not trump the importance of public trust in RTÉ.