Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

What happened is that a concern was raised and we investigated it immediately. We interviewed people under caution without notice. We took a very serious view of what we understood to be the situation. The investigation happened straight away. The investigation has not taken 14 months; it took place straight away and was concluded within weeks but we then handed over the file to the Chief State Solicitor's office who looked at it from a legal perspective, which is a different perspective, and asked that the office would come back to us with a recommendation as to whether we were likely to secure a prosecution. I had to make a decision on the basis of that advice.

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