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Howlin calls on crc to attend pac

The Public Expenditure Minister says the Public Accounts Committee should compel any former CRC board member it needs to in order to get to the "full truth". The PAC wants to question management at the clinic over the 740,000 euro pensions payout for former Chief Executive Paul Kiely. Its Chairperson John McGuinness says he is considering using legislation to compel them to appear if they refuse to answer more questions. And Minister Brendan Howlin says the Committee should use whatever powers it can to get to the bottom of the controversy. "I brought in the legislation to allow for compellability - that's part of the new architecture to have more efficient Dail Committees" he said. "The original legislation - 1997 - has been update and modernised to give real powers to Committees to do public business". "That goes for anybody who is involved in the spending on public money" he added.