Written answers
Wednesday, 11 October 2006
Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
Tribunals of Inquiry
9:00 pm
Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 123: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of inquiries in respect of any tribunal of inquiry, commission of inquiry or investigation for which he or his Department have or have had responsibility since 1997; the name of each inquiry; the terms of reference of each inquiry; the cost of each inquiry including the cost to date where an inquiry has not been concluded; the dates of each inquiry including the projected date of conclusion where an inquiry has not been concluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32429/06]
Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table.
| Table 1. | ||||
| Name of Tribunal of Inquiry/ Commission of Inquiry/ Investigation | Terms of Reference | Cost/Cost to date | Date of Commencement | Date of completion/Projected date of completion |
| Enquiry by Mr. Justice Francis D. Murphy under the provisions of section 21 of the Courts of Justice (District Court) Act, 1946 | Enquiry regarding Judge O'Buachalla's handling of the licensing of Jack White's Inn in the name of Mrs. Catherine Nevin and the discharge of his judicial functions in certain cases brought before him by two Gardaí. | €670,000 | April, 2000 | November, 2000 |
| Report of Mr. John Olden on the management of the life sentence of Mr. Thomas Murray | To review and report on the management of Mr. Murray's sentence up to the time he committed a second murder while on temporary release; specifically to report on the procedures followed and their adequacy leading to granting/revocation of periods of temporary release to this prisoner and to make any observations and recommendations considered appropriate. | €7,648.90 | December, 2000 | 6 July, 2001 |
| Morris Tribunal | Tribunal of Inquiry into complaints concerning some Gardaí of the Donegal Division | €26.2m to end September, 2006 | 24 April, 2002 | September, 2007 |
| Smithwick Tribunal of Inquiry | To inquire into the following definite matter of urgent public importance: Suggestions that members of the Garda Síochána or other employees of the State colluded in the fatal shootings of RUC Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and RUC Superintendent Robert Buchanan on 20 March, 1989; and to report to the Clerk of Dáil Éireann and to make such findings and recommendations as it sees fit in relation to these matters. | As of 31 August, 2006, total cost was €1,329,022.87. | 31 May, 2005 | The work of the Smithwick Tribunal is ongoing. It is not possible at this time to provide a projected date of completion. |
| Review and Report by Shane Murphy SC | Review of action taken and of relevant papers held by the Garda Síochána and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in relation to the making of false inculpatory statements by Mr. Dean Lyons in the course of the Garda investigation into the deaths of Ms Mary Callinan and Ms Sylvia Sheils at Grangegorman Dublin in March 1997 | €0.074m | 27 June, 2005 | Report presented to the Minister on 27 July, 2005 |
| Name of Tribunal of Inquiry/ Commission of Inquiry/ Investigation | Terms of Reference | Cost/Cost to date | Date of Commencement | Date of completion/Projected date of completion |
| Hartnett Inquiry | Hartnett Inquiry under the Dublin Police Act, 1924, into the circumstances surrounding the arrest, treatment and detention of Mr. Brian Rossiter (deceased) in 2002. | €0.270m (to end September 2006) | 14 September, 2005 | Report is expected to be completed by the end of November 2006 (provided unanticipated issues do not emerge). |
| Commission of Investigation (Dean Lyons Case) | Commission of Investigation into the circumstances surrounding the making of a confession by Mr. Dean Lyons (deceased) regarding the deaths of Ms. Mary Callinan and Ms Sylvia Sheils in Grangegorman, Dublin in March, 1997. | €0.957m (to end September 2006) | 7 February, 2006 | Report presented to the Minister 28 July, 2006 |
| Commission of Investigation to: | 1. To select a representative sample of complaints or allegations of child sexual abuse made to the archdiocesan and other Church authorities and public and State authorities in the period 1 January 1975 to 1 May 2004 against clergy operating under the aegis of the Catholic archdiocese of Dublin. | Cost to Date €1,500,000 | 28 March, 2006 | 28 September, 2007 |
| Name of Tribunal of Inquiry/ Commission of Inquiry/ Investigation | Terms of Reference | Cost/Cost to date | Date of Commencement | Date of completion/Projected date of completion |
| 5. To establish the response of the archdiocesan and other Church and public and State authorities to those sample cases. | ||||
| Independent Inquiry by Mr. Michael Mellett into the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Mr. Gary Douch while in custody in Mountjoy Prison. | 1. To establish what action was taken by the Irish Prison Service, management and staff to safeguard Mr. Douch; | Not available | 1 August, 2006 | Not available |
In addition, the costs associated with the enquiries under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 1990 underneath, initiated on the application of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment fell to be met, in the first instance, by my Department.
| Table 2. | ||||
| Name of Tribunal of Inquiry/Commission of Inquiry/Investigation | Terms of Reference | Cost/Cost to date | Date of Commencement | Date of completion/Projected date of completion |
| National Irish Bank Inquiry | The High Court appointed Inspectors to National Irish Bank (NIB) under section 8 of the Companies Act, 1990 on the application of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. | €5,842,952.92 — this was reimbursed to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform in April, 2005 | 1 April, 1998 | The Inspectors presented their Report to the High Court on 12 July, 2004. |
| Ansbacher Inquiry | The High Court appointed inspectors to Ansbacher (Cayman) Ltd. under section 8 of the Companies Act, 1990 on the application of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. | The Inspection cost was €3.45m. €1.25m was reimbursed to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform in early 2004. | 22 September, 1999 | June, 2002 |
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