Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will have a report circulated or made available to all Members on all the tribunals and commissions of investigation that are currently underway by Government across the entire spectrum. The Moriarty tribunal began 20 years ago and we are still paying for it.

I can confirm for Deputy Haughey that the appointment of the former Deputy, Mr. Justice Patrick McCartan, was on the basis of his being a person of integrity and credibility who is trusted by the relatives of Stardust victims as being a fit person to carry out this scoping exercise. It is important to say that the issue which was flagged very strenuously at Government by the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, was that the scoping exercise of Mr. Justice McCartan is to investigate the new evidence that has come to light through the relatives of the victims of the Stardust fire. Mr. Justice McCartan will be allowed to do his work completely independently and there will be no interference from the Department in his work. I understand he will be able to do this pretty expeditiously. If he decides and recommends, on the basis of that new evidence, that a commission of investigation is warranted, then that is the decision of Government. However, it was only right and proper to reflect, analyse and scrutinise the new evidence available and to see whether that warrants a new commission of investigation. If his recommendation is that it does, that is what will happen.

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