Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to make two brief points. First, I will bring my colleagues back to the circumstances of section 22. Its purpose is not to examine expenditure nor to investigate the spending of public moneys. Those matters are provided for in section 21 and by the Committee of Public Accounts. That is appropriate, having regard to normal practice. It is also not the purpose of section 22 to comment on or investigate the fitness for office of the chair for the time being. Section 22 is on the general administration of the body and that is appropriate in the circumstances. I will address the point raised by Senator McDowell on the matter of the demise of the chairperson, whether by resignation, early retirement, incapacity or death. We have had this in previous sections.