Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 17: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he will publish the report of the Hartnett Inquiry into the death of a person (details supplied); the reason the report has not been published; if it is intended to publish the report in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14043/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome Mr Hartnett's report which constitutes a detailed and independent examination by an eminent and experienced senior counsel of the circumstances surrounding the arrest and detention of Brian Rossiter. I accept the findings of the Inquiry.

I have been advised that publication of the report in full is not possible for legal reasons. Instead I published a comprehensive summary last Friday containing extensive extracts from it, which will I hope, facilitate a clear understanding of the events leading up to the tragic death. Copies of the summary have been placed in the Oireachtas library and it is also available on my Department's website (www.justice.ie).

The Coroner's Inquest is underway at present and I was advised that I could offer her a copy of the full report on a confidential basis. She accepted that offer. I have also given a copy of the full report to the family (within the context of ongoing civil litigation against the State), to the DPP and the Garda Commissioner. I am constrained in any further remarks which I might wish to make by the fact that the Inquest is ongoing and by the afore-mentioned civil litigation, but clearly the findings of the report will have to be carefully considered to see if there are any lessons to be learned in dealing with any such cases in the future.