John Cummins (Fine Gael)
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The reason for asking that is the McVerry Trust wanted to come in on its terms to discuss an issue of importance, but it is not willing now when it is experiencing difficulties. That is unacceptable. This is an organisation that is largely funded by the public purse. As a result of a Cabinet decision taken before Christmas, a bailout was put in place for it to allow it to continue to provide the very important services it delivers. There is an equivalence here with RTÉ. There were several investigations and reviews into in RTÉ and money from the public purse has been put into that organisation. Can you imagine the outcry if RTÉ refused to appear before the public accounts committee or the Oireachtas media committee? It just would not have been a tenable position. It is not a tenable position for the McVerry Trust not to come before this committee.

If we have to use our powers of compellability, we should. As the Cathaoirleach said, we in this committee are responsible and there are questions to answer. Representatives of the trust should appear before the committee.