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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 30 May 1995

Vol. 453 No. 6

Written Answers. - Rathkeale (Limerick) Beef Trial.

Eamon Walsh

Ceist:

125 Mr. E. Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry in view of the evidence at the Rathkeale beef trial, that documents were being shredded in the Goodman headquarters, if he would agree that they had been informed by persons in his Department that a visit was in prospect; if he would also agree that there are legal procedures such as Anton Piller Orders and Mareva Injunctions, to prevent the destruction of incriminating documents in such a case; if the person or persons in his Department responsible for informing the Goodman group of the intended visit have been located and dealt with in order to prevent a reoccurrence; the reason the appropriate legal steps were not taken to prevent the destruction of evidence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9762/95]

I have no evidence which would confirm that anybody in my Department informed Rathkeale or Goodman headquarters that visits were in prospect. Such visits as were made were totally unannounced in accordance with the established practice of control inquiry teams. Search warrants were obtained with a view to determining whether documentary evidence of fraud existed. Since there was no advance knowledge of whether any such documents existed the question of preliminary legal action did not arise.

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