The Minister for Justice had no involvement in the Philip Sheedy case, the Tanaiste told the Dail.

Ms Harney was speaking during heated exchanges with the Fine Gael deputy leader, Mrs Nora Owen, who insisted that Mr O'Donoghue should come into the Dail before its Easter recess to give a progress report on the investigation into the controversy relating to the partial suspension of Sheedy's four-year jail sentence.

The Dail adjourns today and will be in recess until April 20th.

When Mrs Owen raised the matter in the Dail yesterday morning, she said it was essential that the Minister for Justice come into the House before the Dail adjourned, even if his inquiries were not completed.

"The country is talking about this situation. We have the Caherciveen connection . . . We have all sorts of things which are undermining the judicial process . . ."

Ms Harney said that what Mrs Owen had said was very serious.

"As Deputy Owen knows, there is a clear separation under our Constitution between the judiciary, the executive and the Oireachtas. The Minister for Justice has had no involvement whatever in relation to this matter. As soon as the Government became aware of it, the Attorney General spoke to the Chief Justice a number of weeks ago . . ."

Mr Michael Noonan (FG, Limerick East) asked: "Are you sure of that?" Ms Harney replied: "Yes, I am."

Amid heated exchanges the Tanaiste added that Mrs Owen was making very serious allegations. "I honestly do not believe you should."

Earlier Ms Harney said: "There is considerable disquiet and concern relating to what appears to be the unusual procedures followed in this case, both inside this House and outside it. The Government shares that concern."

The Minister for Justice was carrying out an inquiry, the Attorney General had spoken to the Chief Justice, and the judiciary was carrying out an inquiry. "We hope that those inquiries can be brought to a conclusion very quickly. I think it is important that they should. As soon as they are, the Minister will come to the House, make a statement and take questions."

She said that Mr O'Donoghue was at that time in Northern Ireland, and it was his intention to speak to the opposition spokespersons later in the day, if possible.

Later Mrs Owen said: "We want to know from the Minister what his role in this was, the role of the judges, the role of the registrar . . ."

Mrs Owen said there were elements of the case relevant to the Minister for Justice's civil servants in the courts system. "Any details he can give us about the inquiry thus far and the House should not have to wait until the Dail resumed after Easter.

"The Minister is responsible for the courts system, the civil servants. They have not been transferred to the new court service yet, as I understand it. So the Minister, at least at this stage, would have been able to make a phone call to the registrar to find out how this case came to be listed."

Ms Harney said she would talk to the Minister later in the morning.

Mrs Owen said that the Garda had no responsibility for the actions of the Minister's civil servants. "So the Minister himself can ring up his own civil servants in the courts system and ask how the case got on to a list when there was no review date." The Labour spokesman on justice, Mr Brendan Howlin, said that a commitment had been given in the House that there would be statement in the Dail about the issue. It would be helpful to the ordering of business if the time-frame for that commitment was explained in advance.

He said that he had already requested that the Government ask the Attorney General that the DPP's file in the case be placed before the House. "The sworn affidavits would have been public had the judicial review taken place last week. It would allay a lot of fears if that file was laid in the House."

Ms Harney said she would convey Mr Howlin's wishes to the Attorney General.

During the exchanges, the Opposition challenged two votes on the Order of Business, but the Government had comfortable majorities in each case.