Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The issue is whether it was in the local chronicle or splattered across The Irish Times, what I am querying is that a Minister of State would deem it appropriate to intervene in that way. I think it is completely inappropriate. I cannot imagine what he was thinking, bar maybe jockeying for position within his constituency, but that is for him to explain. We need to decide what we do about it.

I would have thought, at a minimum, the committee ought to write to the Minister of State and inform him that we are doing our job and that we will continue to do so. If he has something specific to add to our deliberations he is at liberty to write to us as a committee and to offer to come in and to share the benefit of his wisdom but we need to stop this because the question then is "What next?" Every Minister can fire out statements willy-nilly and attempt to undermine what has been very thorough work, and very necessary work. We are appointed on behalf of the Oireachtas to do the job and Ministers need to let us get on with it. I want to know from you, a Chathaoirligh, what in your view is the appropriate course of action.