David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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My third point relates to something that has not happened very often in the history of the Committee of Public Accounts. I refer to the fact that efforts are being made by other politicians to undermine the work of the committee. We see it both inside and outside the Dáil Chamber. It happened in respect of this issue as well. There was correspondence from some Government Deputies criticising members of the Committee of Public Accounts for defending the work of the committee. We must defend the integrity of the committee and not allow people to make what are political charges. They are entitled to do so but those charges should not go unchallenged. We have an absolute right and entitlement to raise issues, especially those we raised in the context of Templemore. The issues in question arose on foot of an internal audit report; we did not invent them. The internal auditor said that he could not give any assurances whatsoever that the controls in place at the Garda College in Templemore are what they should be. He said he was frustrated in his work. We saw what happened. Obviously, we had an entitlement.

For other Members of the Dáil to criticise the work of the Committee of Public Account , I think they are entitled to do it, but I do not think it should go unchallenged. For former members of this committee to chastise us in the way they have done is unacceptable. Members of the Dáil may say what they want but we have an absolute right to defend ourselves and the work we do.