IN December 1996 the Government was concerned at public disquiet arising out of reports in the media in relation to the alleged contents of a report entitled Dunnes Stores: Report on Investigation - Volume 1 and Volume 2 Prepared in Contemplation of Litigation by Price Waterhouse on behalf of Dunnes Stores and dated April 12th, 1994.
In order to allay this disquiet the Government declared its wish to see the publication of certain names and entities mentioned in the Price Waterhouse report.
To allow for publication of certain details from the report, the Government entered into an agreement with Dunnes Holding Company which would allow for the examination of the report by an independent person. It was agreed that the names or entities in the report who are not Relevant Persons or Entities, as defined in the agreement with Dunnes Stores, should not be published.
The Relevant Persons or Entities have been defined in the agreement. Briefly these are:
(i) Any person who is, or was, at the time of any payment or transaction referred to, a Member or former Member of Dail Eireann, Seanad Eireann any local authority, health board or other similar body;
(ii) Any person who occupies or occupied a position of employment in any public body as defined in the Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995;
(iii) Any person who is, or was, a member of the board or director of any public body;
(iv) Any person who is or was the holder of any office or employment remunerated directly or indirectly out of public funds;
(v) Any person who is or was a relative, as defined in the Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995, of any of the person referred to above;
(vi) Any political party.