I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 179 together.
A newspaper article, published on Sunday, 11 February 2001, alleged that members of the Garda Síochána and a civilian employee at Garda Headquarters had participated in trips abroad paid for by a company which supplies tyres to the Garda Síochána. On 13 February 2001, I advised the House that the Garda Commissioner had asked a Chief Superintendent to look into the allegations. I also advised the House that I was of the view that the matter warranted an external examination and that the Secretary General of my Department, in his capacity as Accounting Officer for the Garda vote, had instructed the internal audit unit of the Department to examine the matter. Since then further allegations have been made to the Garda and my Department and the matter is now the subject of a criminal investigation which has not been completed. I should also mention that when this issue first arose the Secretary General of my Department was in contact with the Comptroller and Auditor General and he was kept updated on developments. The Comptroller and Auditor General advised my Department on 12 March 2001 that he had directed his staff to commence an audit of the procurement of tyres for the Garda Síochána from both regularity and value-for-money viewpoints. The Public Offices Commission wrote to my Department on 13 February 2001 making certain inquiries related to this matter and the relevant available information sought from the Department has been forwarded to them. I understand that the Public Offices Commission also wrote to the Garda Commissioner about the matter.