A total of 103 reports have been commissioned by or submitted to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform over the past six years.
The cost of the reports was just under €4.5 million, funded mainly by the Department of Justice or the Exchequer. Three of the reports were mostly funded by the EU.
The reports over the six years covered subjects from judicial inquiries, Garda activity, crime, to childcare, disability, women's issues and cultural diversity.
The most costly report arose from the inquiry into the propriety of Judge Ó Buachalla's handling of the licensing of Jack Whites' Inn in the name of Catherine Nevin and the discharge of his judicial functions in certain cases brought before him by two gardaí.
This report cost €670,000. It was commissioned by the Minister for Justice at the request of the Chief Justice.
However, a report on the early release from prison of Philip Sheedy by the Chief Justice cost nothing.
The difference in cost between the two reports was put down to the fact that the Sheedy case could be carried out internally by the Department whereas the other involved inquiring into sectors which were outside its remit.
Another report arising from the Sheedy case on the issues of court practice and procedure, arising from his early release by the Committee on Court Practice and Procedure, cost €1,433.
A report published in September 2000 on quality childcare and lifelong learning cost €424,727 over three years. Commissioned by the Department, it was carried out by the OMNA Project, DIT, and was submitted to the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland.
The group established by the Minister to examine matters arising from concerns about the activity of Garda Síochána officers during 1998 brought out a report and has cost approximately €267,000 to date.
The Department commissioned an ESRI report into rights-based services for people with disabilities. It was published in October 2003, and cost €101, 640.