Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to place on the record again that, as Minister, I have absolutely no objection to a full public inquiry, nor does my Department. The Taoiseach has put on the record that he has no objection on behalf of the Government to such an inquiry. I have not seen the work done to date and I do not know what is in the report. I have not begun any scoping exercise because I have not seen the report and I do not want to pre-empt what is in it. It may recommend a public inquiry or it may not. I do not know. It is important that we allow Judge Haughton to continue the work he has started and to make sure that process is complete. If we need to do something more after that, we will do so.

There are a lot of issues to be looked at, as Deputy Bríd Smith said. I have no doubt that all the concerns that have been raised, including in respect of the terms of reference and everything that has been set out, will be addressed by the judge. In regard to the Attorney General, all I can say is that, in my experience, he is not a man to wait about or delay on things. He is very efficient in his work. Certainly, if this report is presented to him, I know he will come back to me on it as quickly as he can.

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