Fine Gael é minence grise Frank Flannery is sure to be much in evidence at the party's annual conference in the RDS today.

On the other hand, silver-haired Frank was missing in action when TDs wanted to talk to him on Thursday.

That’s how the unimpressed members of the Dáil Public Accounts Committee saw it, when officials from Rehab came before them with their own handpicked team instead of the individuals the most powerful committee in parliament had expressly requested to see.

Former Rehab boss Flannery, who is close to the Taoiseach and has been a Fine Gael adviser at national level for decades, was on the committee’s list of those invited. But he didn’t turn up, as was well within his rights.

More than once during Thursday’s strained meeting, committee members made it clear that they took a dim view of Flannery’s non-attendance.

And just before the six-hour session concluded, PAC chairman John McGuinness returned to the issue.

“It was clearly expressed by the members of this committee at our last meeting that Mr Flannery and the remuneration committee be asked to attend,” he said to Rehab chief executive Angela Kerins.

"Were they asked? Did they say no?"

Choice of line-up
Kerins said the choice of line-up "was a Rehab Group decision". McGuinness wanted to know if Flannery was made aware of this and if the PAC's request had been discussed at board level.

“Everybody was aware”, replied a stuttering Kerins.

So did she speak to Frank Flannery and ask him to attend? “I spoke to, I made people aware . . .”

He tried again. “Did you speak to Mr Flannery?”

A cagey Kerins said she did.

“And what was his view on that? Did he wish to come?”

“It was our view that best people were chosen . . .”

And so on.

At which point, the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee gave up.

If John had adjourned for lunch a bit earlier that day, he might have run into Frank Flannery.

But there were few people about as the Silver Pimpernel strolled down the plinth.

He was asked if he was on his way to the PAC.

Fearless Frank replied he was “on other business”.

A journalist asked a passing Minister if he knew Frank Flannery was in the building.

“Do I know? I just bumped into him,” came the bemused reply.

A bit cheeky, Frank, don’t you think?