Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

The Commissioner is not immune to the compellability provisions provided they are duly complied with and the summons is relevant to him or his legal functions. It is a different matter to provide that he be required by a committee of either House to attend and give evidence on matters which it deems appropriate. The inclusion of such a provision would result in substantial interference with his position. The Commissioner is compellable and will have a particular obligation to attend before the Committee of Public Accounts. Where exceptional circumstances arise which require him to appear before other committees, he will do so.

Senators who are members of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights will be aware of his attendance there. I do not want to create a situation whereby the commissioner must attend each time he is requested to do so. His position would be weakened were he to be statutorily required to attend a committee every time he was requested to do so.