John Greene

And moments later, for our absent CEO, it got much worse because Senator Evannie Quillan wanted to declare something regarding Michelle Carpenter the previous evening.

It was an extraordinary moment to kick things off.

Nobody said much in response to Newquillian's declaration, but it hung over the afternoon to say the least.

It felt like Rowing Ireland had lost the room and it just meant a logistical problem.

The Rowing Ireland representatives in Leinster House had all commenced their roles in late 22, early 23 and beyond.

So just on a basic level, we're missing all the key witnesses.

Once we got underway with questioning, things didn't improve much from their point of view.

Here's Fianna Fáil's Peter Chap Clear, and he's addressing the chair of Rowing Ireland, Barry McWilliams.

McWilliams has been chair since 2024.

So you will apologise?

Do you apologise to those athletes who have been so badly mistreated over the last number of years as part of the high performance?

At that point, McWilliams made a face as if to say no.

So then Clare turned to Sport Ireland.

Now Sport Ireland, it's their job to oversee all governing bodies like Rowan Ireland.

Una May is their CEO and Deputy Clare addressed her.

At least it was something, a vague sense of condition there.

There's a humanity and sorry being the hardest word to say on this appearance yesterday.

At least there was a sorry in there.

So then Deputy Clear, on foot of that sorry, he went back to Rowan, Ireland and he went back to their chair, McWilliams.

There was something unedifying about that, thank you, as if McWilliams is the one in charge and dealing with an inferior.