Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I want to get clarification on one point. He states that there will be a review of the circumstances surrounding this specific case. However, a number of other people have come to public representatives such as myself and Deputy Niall Collins making similar complaints. Will the investigation be able to take evidence from those people, in view of the fact that they have already been forced by the university to sign confidentiality clauses concerning settlements that were made at the time of termination of their employment? It is critical that their story should also be heard so that the total context will be available to the independent investigator.

Second, will the Minister of State ask the Minister for Education and Skills to request, or tell, the University of Limerick to withdraw the legal proceedings against both the Limerick Leaderand the editor, Mr. Alan English? The proceedings are both inappropriate and excessive.

Third, can the Minister of State give us an assurance that the employment of the two employees in question in this particular case, who are currently suspended, will not be terminated before the conclusion of these proceedings?

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