Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I respectfully disagree with Deputy Eoghan Murphy in respect of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges because I think there is an attempt to nobble our work. I do not think it is the first attempt by Government, whoever the personality or whatever level, to do so. There has been clear discomfort in the fact that, as a committee, we have managed to call to account, in respect of individual rewards, remuneration packages and so on, individuals who are in receipt of and are spending very large sums of public moneys. That is the politics of it. I am very unhappy with the situation and suggest the following course of action. We have received a request for specific information so we should furnish the CPP with responses to each of those challenges. In the course of doing so I strongly support Deputy Ross's proposition that we seek outside legal advice. To my mind I would like to see it truly independent. If I have taken him up correctly, and I want to make sure that we are on the same page on this matter, I think he meant advice from outside of the Oireachtas services.