Senior health official says Public Accounts Committee has 'a few loopers'

PAC vice chair Catherine Murphy TD: 'It is not acceptable that any Oireachtas committee would be treated like that.' Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

The head of the Department of Health’s finance unit described the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) as having “a few loopers” among its membership.

During a round-table preparatory session in the unit ahead of the department’s appearance before the committee last December, John O’Grady said, “Not for repeating, but there are a few loopers on the Public Accounts Committee, which makes it even more unpredictable”, according to a recording of the meeting obtained by the Irish Examiner.