Vol. 503 No. 3
158 Mr. Higgins (Dublin West) asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if he will make available copies of the correspondence from the European Court of Auditors in relation to Coillte Teoranta, together with the response by the Irish authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9943/99]
I am not aware of any correspondence from the European Court of Auditors in relation to Coillte Teoranta. I assume the Deputy is referring to the two recent related cases in the European Court of Justice concerning public supply contracts involving Coillte.
In that regard, I take it that the Deputy's question refers to the formal contacts, which are in the nature of pleadings, and which comprise all of the correspondence between the State legal services and the European Court of Justice in the course of these cases.
These pleadings formed part of the hearing, including the oral hearing, of the court and they have since been overtaken by the judgments of the court, which were the last items communicated in correspondence to the State legal services from the court.
The Deputy may be aware that the substantive question, which relates to both cases, is now before the High Court in Ireland. In this regard the matter is sub judice and I have been advised that the State's pleadings should not be released. However, if the Deputy has not seen the judgments of the Court of Justice, I will be glad to forward them to him.
