Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

As I have said, our view was that it was opportune that this tribunal and others should be brought to a conclusion. My own view was that I would have liked the Moriarty tribunal, if it was going to continue, to be able to finish before the end of this year or some time like that. I am glad that it has been concluded and the report has been published. There was no question of Fine Gael attempting to rewrite the terms of reference of a tribunal that had been running for 14 years, nor should there have been. There was a public interest in seeing that the report was published and concluded, and I am very glad that the sole member has done that. I cannot answer the question about whether the Minister, Deputy Hogan, saw a draft of the Moriarty report. I certainly did not and I do not assume he did. I expect he will contribute to the debate and answer that question.

The Government considered the implications of the Moriarty report this morning. On behalf of my Department, I sought the approval of the Government for the recommendations of the Moriarty report to be circulated to Departments that are affected by or have responsibility in respect of the Moriarty report. It was agreed that the Departments should make recommendations to the Government within four weeks with regard to the implementation or otherwise of the recommendations in the Moriarty report. In addition, there was an understanding that a number of legal cases which are pending, arising from the Moriarty tribunal, need to be borne in mind by those who speak about the report and its conclusions.

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