Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 53: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on referring of the Report of the Commission of Investigation into the Dean Lyons case to the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6850/07]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Order establishing the Commission of Investigation which specified the matter to be investigated was approved by resolution of both Houses of the Oireachtas on 30 November 2005 and 1 December 2005 respectively. When I published the Commission's Report on 1 September 2006, I sent a copy to the Expert Group which I established in the light of concerns arising from the Dean Lyons case. The Group will be reporting 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. I have already stated publicly that I will publish the Expert Group's Report when it is available to me. Furthermore, the Report of the Commission of Investigation has already been the subject of comprehensive debate in Dáil Éireann on 28 and 29 November 2006 and in Seanad Éireann on the 13 December 2006. In these circumstances, I see no practical purpose in seeking to have the matter referred to the Joint Committee at this time.