The Secretary General of the Department of Finance has rejected suggestions that his department let the people down in its management of the current economic crisis.
Speaking today at an Oireachtas Committee, David Doyle also said no-one could have predicted the international factors that have led to the current economic slump.
Today's Public Accounts Committee hearing was meant to discuss the Department of Finance's accounts for 2007 but it quickly swerved off course.
During some tetchy exchanges, Labour's Tommy Broughan said there was a strong perception the Department had let the people down over its handling of the economic crisis over the last six months.
Deputy Broughan said that in a number of areas the Department had not done its job, and that it was akin to a 'dog that didn't bark'.
Responding, the Secretary General of the Department David Doyle, rejected those suggestions and said no-one could have predicted the international turmoil in the financial markets. He also said the idea that the Department was doing a a bad job is 'inappropriate'.
