Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am confident that the section in question will not amount to an obstruction or barrier to accountability. If we look at past experience, in practice, no restrictions were placed on accountability to Oireachtas committees by dint of something that might well be sub judicein the context of current court proceedings or is likely to give rise to a court dispute at an early future date. I do not accept that section 22(3)(a) will be used by chief executives, chairs or the chair of the commission in the way the Senator is suggesting. There is no substance to the suggestion that the commission will be allowed to evade its discourse with the appropriate Oireachtas committee in this manner.