The report on the O Buachalla inquiry will be presented to the Minister for Justice "in weeks rather than months", Mr Justice Murphy said yesterday.
The inquiry was set up to inquire into Judge Donnchadh O Buachalla's transfer of a pub licence into the sole name of Catherine Nevin, following the murder of her husband, in the light of the judge's acquaintance with her.
It was also asked to inquire into his behaviour in relation to two gardai, Garda Michael Murphy and Garda Vincent Whelan, against whom complaints had been made by Catherine Nevin. They alleged that subsequently they had been unfairly treated in Judge O Buachalla's court.
At the last public hearing three weeks ago the two gardai withdrew their allegations against the judge. The issues surrounding the issuing of the licence had been heard in earlier sittings.
Mr Justice Murphy told the final day of the inquiry yesterday that he would receive any final submissions before bringing the proceedings to a close. He expected these submissions would relate to costs.
Counsel for the various parties said they had brief written submissions on costs. Mr Justice Murphy told them that the Minister would be responsible for all costs properly and necessarily incurred, as he had set up the inquiry.
He told Mr John Rogers SC, for Judge O Buachalla, that his client would be entitled to have his costs recouped.
He told Mr Eoin McGonigan SC, counsel for the two gardai, that his clients would be entitled to a comparable order, though in a more limited field. He suggested their solicitor talk to the solicitor for the tribunal, Mr Michael Buckley, to see if they could agree on a sum.
Mr Justice Murphy told Mr John McMenamin SC, counsel for the Courts Service, that his clients were properly involved in the inquiry. However, they were not necessarily a part of the inquiry for which the Minister was responsible, and therefore were not entitled to their costs.