Ms Forbes who resigned from her role in the wake of the recent payment revelations regarding Ryan Tubridy, has reportedly informed the committee of her decision.
In a statement released via her solicitors Byrne Wallace, Ms Forbes told Committee chair and Fianna Fáil TD Niamh Smyth, “Our client is not fit to attend and participate in the Public Session Meeting of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media".
The letter also added, “It was with enormous difficulty and assistance that our client was able to piece the statement together which was issued yesterday morning [Monday] and prepared over the last number of days".
A clerk for the committee also reportedly received a letter from Ms Forbes GP “with the requirement that it be kept confidential”.
It has also been reported that Ms Forbes will not attend the hearing of the Public Accounts Committee regarding the scandal on Thursday.
