The managing director of Irish Life, Mr David Went, has agreed to appear before an Oireachtas Joint Committee enquiring into alleged mis-selling of insurance policies, before a review at Irish Life by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is completed.

Mr Went, in a letter to the chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business received yesterday, said he will appear whenever the committee requires.

Mr Went changed his position from that set out in an earlier letter to the chairman, Mr Ivor Callely, in which he said no "representative" would appear until a review at Irish Life being carried out by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is concluded.

Last night Mr Callely welcomed Mr Went's decision, although he said it is clear the company "has back-pedaled all the way". He added that when Mr Went and the company appear before the committee they are likely to "see the benefit in the exercise".

Members of the committee had described his earlier letter as "outrageous".

In Mr Went's letter to Mr Callely yesterday he said: "There appears to have been a serious misunderstanding about our intentions towards the committee.

"It appears that our response has been interpreted by the committee as a lack of respect for its functions and an unwillingness to co-operate with the work you are undertaking in this area," he said. He added that "nothing could be further from the truth".

Mr Went said he was concerned that appearing at the committee before the review is finished might prejudice or prejudge its work. He said the company still has "genuine reservations" about this, but is prepared to accept an invitation to the next meeting of the committee. Mr Went has indicated he is prepared to attend in person.

The next meeting of the committee takes place next week, but the Insurance Ombudsman, Ms Paulyn Marrinan Quinn, is due to appear, so Irish Life may not appear until after the summer recess, said Mr Callely.

He said when the company does appear, the committee will be seeking to find out how many customers, if any, had their policies "churned" and how they might be compensated.