Howlin: PAC must decide on McGuinness 'suitability' after foreign travel comments

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform said today that it is up to the Public Accounts Committee to decide if Chairperson John McGuinness should continue on in his role.

The Fianna Fáil TD is under pressure to resign as Chair of the spending watchdog committee.

It comes after he said a case could be made for taxpayers to pay for Minister's spouses to travel abroad with them on official trips.

Speaking on his way into this morning's Cabinet meeting, Minister Brendan Howlin said people can draw their own conclusions from Deputy McGuinness' explanations.

"I would hope that all committees would be very robust in the work they do in holding the executive to account," he said.

"As I said, additional powers have been given to the committee to do exactly that, but actually, I think it's important to separate the executive from the working committee.

"Parliament itself must make its own rules and regulations, and its for the committee and the Oireachtas to make determinations on the suitability of any individual."

Yesterday, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said that Deputy McGuinness' remarks were damaging, and smacked of the abuse and arrogance of the previous Government's 14 years of mismanagement.

He called on Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin to reflect on the credibility of the Public Accounts Committee.

Deputy Martin has accused the Government of "political opportunism".

He said that the role of the PAC was above politics and that all parties should respect its impartiality.