Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 335: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the contacts he has had with political leaders and others in Northern Ireland regarding his policy towards the Smithwick tribunal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19928/11]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 336: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the reservations conveyed to him by Judge Smithwick regarding the implications of his intention to amend the terms of reference of the Smithwick tribunal. [19929/11]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 337: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when he or any official of his Department was first informed about reservations by Judge Smithwick regarding the implications of his intention to amend the terms of reference of the Smithwick tribunal. [19930/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Question Nos. 335 to 337, inclusive, together.

The views of the Chairman of the Smithwick Tribunal of Inquiry with regard to the amendment of the Tribunal's terms of reference, which was made by Resolutions passed by Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann on 1 June 2011, were first conveyed to me and my Department by the Chairman of the Tribunal in his letter of 27 May 2011, marked 'strictly private and confidential: addressee only'. The Deputy may recall that I referred to concerns of Judge Smithwick during my contribution in the Dáil when the relevant motion was being debated. I indicated then that I would place copies of the correspondence in the Dáil library when it had been concluded. This was done.

As stated in my reply to the Deputy to his Question No. 155 of 22 June 2011, I spoke with the Northern Ireland First Minister, Peter Robinson, and with the Northern Ireland Minister of Justice, David Ford, to inform them of the content of my speech in Dáil Éireann relating to the Smithwick Tribunal and the motion passed by the Dáil on 1 June 2011. As I have also stated to the House previously, in ensuring respect for the independence of the Tribunal, I do not consider that it would have been appropriate for me to have consulted on these matters with third parties.