Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 128: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he first came to the conclusion that the cost of any tribunal under the remit of his Department was excessive; if he has identified the alleged cause of such costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7082/07]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Deputy will appreciate that the Mahon tribunal does not operate under the aegis of my Department and, accordingly, it would not be appropriate for me, by way of answer to a Parliamentary Question, to add to the remarks which I have already made publicly about the matter.

I have always been concerned about the cost of tribunals and for that reason I actively pursued the passage through the Houses of the Oireachtas of the Commissions of Investigation Act, 2004 as an alternative, more cost-effective and timely avenue to important investigations.