Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

As regards the Ansbacher report, that was submitted by me to the Revenue Commissioners, the Director of Public Prosecutions and other authorities. The authorised officer's role continued in existence after the establishment of the independent Office of Corporate Enforcement. He was in the middle of various investigations and I felt it desirable that the officer who was carrying out those should complete them. However, I felt that it was time to bring those investigations to a conclusion seven years on. I was under the impression they would have concluded much earlier. I was being constantly asked in this House by Deputy Rabbitte's party, Fine Gael and others about when the various inquiries would be brought to a conclusion.

Much of the work that the authorised officer was uncovering was also in the remit of the various tribunals. I directed the authorised officer to send much of the material he acquired to the relevant tribunals because I judged it was more relevant to their work than to a company law inquiry.

I did not have the power to seek the appointment of a High Court inspector. Those powers went to the new independent office when it was established. Any work completed by the authorised officer would have had to go to that office. I could not petition the High Court because those powers were no longer vested in the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. They had moved to the office headed by Mr. Paul Appleby. I took legal advice as well as the advice of the Secretary General of the Department on this matter, and any instructions I issued on it were as a result of the advice I received.

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