Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The figure I gave in the primary reply is the cost of the tribunal up to 31 October 2009. What the final figure will be we will not know until the tribunal has completed its work.

I am informed by the sole member that a part-heard witness requires to be recalled and that there is a possibility of a limited amount of further testimony, none of long duration. As regards the timescale for completion of the tribunal's report, barring matters outside the tribunal's control arising, it is the sole member's intention that the report will be ready for publication in early January. The 8% reduction in professional fees with effect from 1 March has been applied to counsel for the tribunal.

See this speech in context