Copies of the Travers report on the illegal charges levied on patients in public nursing homes and other long-stay facilities was last night given to the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, Ministers for Health and Finance and the Attorney General, write Martin Wall and Olivia Kelleher
The 160-page report on "who knew what and when" in relation to the charges was carried out by former head of Forfás John Travers.
The report was only provided to members of the Cabinet sub-committee which is dealing with how the State should repay up to €2 billion owed to possibly more than 300,000 elderly people, their families and estates.
Minister for Enterprise and Employment Micheál Martin, who was interviewed by Mr Travers about what he knew in relation to the controversy during his four-year period as minister for health, was not given a copy of the document last night.
Mr Martin and other ministers will receive the report on Tuesday, as will senior officials in the Department of Health.
It is expected to be strongly critical of the Department where the Minister, Mary Harney, said there had been "systemic maladministration" in relation to the illegal charges.
There is strong concern in the Department that the report could lead to unprecedented pressure on a number of officials to consider their positions.
However, Ms Harney also indicated to the Dáil on Thursday that the report might also criticise politicians, saying: "Maladministration does not just affect public officials". These comments prompted speculation that she was suggesting that the report might criticise her predecessor, Mr Martin.
He was in office when the South Eastern Health Board presented legal advice which suggested that the charges, which generated more than €2 million a week, were illegal.
Mr Martin has since claimed that he never saw the legal advice and was late arriving for a meeting at which the issue was discussed.
That meeting in December 2003 was also attended by two current Ministers of State, Ivor Callely and Tim O'Malley.
Some sources said last night that there was "nervousness" within Fianna Fáil over the potential impact of the report.
However, other sources have suggested that Mr Martin might be "comfortable" with the findings. Mr Martin yesterday declined to comment on the speculation that he might be criticised in the Travers report. He accused the Opposition of hijacking the document.
He insisted he was happy with the process so far and said he wasn't fearful in relation to the reports findings.
"I will be up to arguing the toss next week," he said.
"I will issue a detailed statement and will be available for interview. One needs to be very careful not to jump to conclusions."
Meanwhile The Irish Times has learned that the Association of Higher Civil Servants is understood to have written to Ms Harney expressing concern at her remarks about "systemic maladministration".