Morris Tribunal: The first interim report of the Morris Tribunal sent shock waves through the Garda Síochána.
It pulled no punches in highlighting the failure of management to detect the deception of two Co Donegal detectives who planted bogus explosives in the Border county in the years leading up to the first IRA ceasefire.
Most seriously, Mr Justice Morris lashed out at the culture of silence within the force. The report was followed by the early retirements of Chief Supt Denis Fitzpatrick and Supt John P. O'Connor - both criticised for gross negligence - and the resignation of Det Garda Noel McMahon. In October, the Cabinet sacked Supt Kevin Lennon.
The tribunal has now turned its attention to the botched investigation into the death of Raphoe cattle dealer Richie Barron. Last month, Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy confirmed to one-time suspects Frank McBrearty Jr and his cousin Mark McConnell that the case had been redesignated as death due to dangerous driving in 2002. Opposition politicians have called on the Government to explain why the Dáil was not told of this before voting to set up the tribunal.
Conroy also dismissed two Raphoe gardaí, John O'Dowd and Pádraig Mulligan, at the beginning of December for their failure to give an account of their movements the night Barron died. Another garda, Phil Collins, resigned earlier in the year, and has so far refused to appear before the inquiry.
Since September, McBrearty has clashed frequently with Morris. Representing himself after failing to get assurances on legal costs, the Donegal publican insists on raising a disputed statement of admission allegedly obtained when he was arrested in December 1996. Morris will not allow this, since the alleged confession forms part of the next module.
John O'Dowd meanwhile has made two crucial statements in the past two months, admitting he knew an extortion telephone call was made from his home to Michael Peoples, also arrested during the investigation. O'Dowd also alleges that he told Kevin Lennon about the call - made by O'Dowd's informer William Doherty - within days, something Lennon denies.
The former garda also denied feeding information to Doherty from the investigation, which Doherty then gave to Noel McBride, who made incriminating statements - later withdrawn - against the McBreartys. Instead, he says he reported all the information he received from his informer to the Garda case conferences as he obtained it. So far, however, O'Dowd has been unable to shed light on one baffling aspect of the saga: how did Eircom computer records of the extortion call from his home go missing?
Gerard Cunningham