Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not have the authority to direct any commission of investigation to do its work in a particular way. Obviously it is the responsibility and the right of the sole member to do as he or she might wish. It is true that the committee made a request that specific terms of reference be included for the commission of investigation regarding matters leading up to the retirement of the former Commissioner and to deal with the furnishing of a letter to the then Minister, which was sent by the former Commissioner on 10 March. These were the two specific requests from the committee. The Government accepted both of the requests and they are included as specific terms of reference for the Fennelly commission. It is not a case of refusing anything; it is a case of not having the right to direct the sole member to act in a particular way. It is, of course, open to the sole member to decide in what form and when he might wish to deal with any element of the commission of investigation. That is his right and I have no authority whatsoever to interfere in that. In respect of the request made by the committee, the specific wording requested has been put directly into the commission of investigation and I leave it to the sole member to follow that through.

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