Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2015
407. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the actions taken from the recommendations made in the Moriarty tribunal report, which she received in March 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23083/15]
View answer408. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of meetings she has held in her Department on the recommendations in the Moriarty tribunal report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23084/15]
View answerI am informed by the Garda authorities that, following the examination by An Garda Síochána of the report of the Moriarty Tribunal, the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions was sought with a view to determining whether or not a full Garda investigation should be commenced. As this process is ongoing it would not be appropriate for me to comment in further detail at this time. The Deputy will also appreciate that I, as Minister, do not have a direct role in relation to these matters and, accordingly, the question of my holding meetings in this regard would not have arisen.
As the Deputy will be aware, the report of the Moriarty Tribunal made a number of recommendations which related to the responsibilities of different Government Departments. In this regard I understand that there have been relevant developments in the fields of financial regulation, company law, and electoral law. As Minister for Justice and Equality, I can only respond in relation to the recommendations which refer to my own Department's responsibilities.
In this regard, the Tribunals Bill is under review in my Department. I can assure the Deputy that this work has entailed detailed consideration being given within my Department to the full suites of recommendations made by the Moriarty Tribunal in its Report of March 2011 and the Mahon Report in March 2012, to the relevant judgments delivered by the Supreme Court in July 2011 and October 2012, and to the developing experience regarding the operation of Commissions of Investigation. The review will be completed as soon as possible, but is dependent on other legislative priorities. Accordingly, the likely time frame cannot be indicated with any certainty at this point. I am, of course, updated regularly on the status of legislative proposals within my Department.
