Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

The independent investigating authority - the Garda Síochána and the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement - is to carry out this investigation without fear or favour. To the best of my knowledge that is happening. I can understand the fury and outrage of the public. No one is more outraged than members of the Cabinet, who must deal with this issue on a daily basis since the crisis arose. Unfortunately, outrage is no good on a book of evidence, as Deputy Shatter knows. Outrage does not prove a criminal offence. What does so is the forensic examination of the scale going on, with more than 100,000 documents, telephone records, bank records in electronic format and hard copy, and 350 people providing witness statements. Many of those had legal advice before making statements. In one instance, the statement is 150 pages long. Deputy Shatter can see the enormity of this investigation. The case of an individual is something to be determined by the investigating authorities, as is the matter of from whom they should take statements and demand co-operation. If people are not co-operating, and I have no information on this, it would be an offence under the law. Where there is an element of criminal law and corporate law, the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement and the Garda Síochána are dealing with those issues and they have the best legal advice available to them as the investigation continues.

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