Moriarty may hold further hearings, says Cowen

THE MORIARTY tribunal, which has so far cost the State €33.7 million, may have to sit in public session again, Taoiseach Brian Cowen revealed.

"It is not certain public hearings are completed," Mr Cowen said. He added that depending on circumstances, the recalling of certain witnesses might be required for additional cross-examination.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said that Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan had announced in July that he planned to introduce public expenditure cuts of €440 million by the end of the year and reduce spending by a further €1 billion next year.

Mr Kenny said that the €1 billion could be just about enough to cover the legal bills expected in the Moriarty and Mahon tribunals.

"As he is aware, both have been in existence since 1997 and have as yet to pay out the majority of their third-party legal costs," Mr Kenny added.

"No one knows how large those legal bills will be and cutbacks will not prevent these payments having to be made."

Mr Cowen said that Mr Justice Moriarty had indicated that he intended completing his work by the end of the year.

He added: "He has not ruled out further public hearings as a result of that process. He cannot predict. It could happen, but one cannot be sure."

Mr Kenny said the Government had informed departments, to which the tribunals reported, that legal teams, including the €2,700-a-day senior counsel, should be let go.

He asked Mr Cowen to confirm that legal counsel had not been retained by the tribunal.

Mr Cowen said that Mr Justice Moriarty was currently putting possible findings to concerned parties and enabling them to reply.

"He is using his legal team to assist in the process,'' Mr Cowen added.

"That the tribunal is not sitting in public, does not mean work is not ongoing or legal counsel is not required," the Taoiseach continued.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said that in 2004, the then minister for finance Charlie McCreevy told a Fianna Fáil ardfheis that he considered the tribunal legal fees to be astronomical and that he would reduce them.

Mr Cowen said that there had been correspondence between Ministers, whose various line departments liaised with tribunals, regarding some of those matters.

"Cases will be made in reply regarding the need for continuity and the need to maintain counsel," he said.

"In the event of counsel not being retained, resigning or not continuing with its work, the first reaction in this House would be Deputies Gilmore and Kenny saying we are interfering with the tribunal, trying to undermine it and attacking its integrity," the Taoiseach added.

Mr Gilmore said it was laughable for the Taoiseach to suggest that legal fees had not been reduced because of what Mr Kenny and himself might say about it.