Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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With regard to the last part, I would say that it is impossible for me to predict what questions I would be asked. I am always prepared for any questions, and on Thursday night, I was pushed on a number of occasions. I was trying to do my best not to say I had no confidence. I was trying to keep the door open as much as possible to that meeting on Friday.

I have outlined clearly what transpired on the Monday. The questions were on the role of the chair of the board, as I had read. The reason I had to ask again is that on the Wednesday I received a copy of the legal advice in advance of it being published. I was meeting with the chair and the DG to discuss that. There was a cover letter to me outlining the findings of the legal advice. What very much jumped out at me was a paragraph on the second page which referred to board involvement, where relevant, in termination payments. I circled the letter on the day and it was the first question I led with in that meeting, even though the full purpose of that meeting was to discuss the legal advice that had just landed. There was something about that paragraph that just did not sit right with me. In light of that, I again sought confirmation on the issue from the former chair. My approach was along the lines of "I do not understand this paragraph; why does it state that?". In light of the indication that there may have been some role, I again asked the former chair if she was 100% sure - absolutely sure - that there was no role whatsoever in any of these legal packages for the board or for herself. Again, I was told nothing by the former chair. In fact, the chair then pointed out "But in future, Minister, we will have a role in severance payments". I was told that in future, the remuneration committee will have to approve them, but not on these occasions. The line of questioning was very clear on that, as were the answers I was receiving.