Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 99: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has received a report from the expert group established in view of concerns arising from the case of a person (details supplied); if a deadline has been set for the work of the group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36266/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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Following the establishment of the Commission of Investigation set up to look into the Dean Lyons case, I established an Expert Group to report to me on the adequacy of Garda training, protocols, regulations and procedures, in assessing the fitness of persons to be interviewed and on the recording of any bona fide reservations of an individual member of a Garda investigation team as to the truthfulness or accuracy of self-incriminating statements.

The work of the Expert Group is still ongoing. As I understand it, they have been making good progress in dealing with what is a complex and contentious brief. They have the opportunity of taking the Report of the Dean Lyons Commission of Investigation into account as well as similar type considerations which have arisen before the Morris Tribunal.

I am hopeful that the Group will be in a position to report to me in early 2007. As I have promised previously, I intend to publish the Report.