merrion street

The Government today approved the proposal of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Mr. Alan Shatter, T.D., to put motions to the House of the Oireachtas to further amend the terms of reference of the Smithwick Tribunal of Inquiry, in line with the request from the Tribunal Chairman to the Clerk of Dáil Éireann of 10 October, 2012.

In his letter the Chairman indicated that the Tribunal would not be in a position to meet the date of 31 October, 2012 for the conclusion of the Tribunal's work. This arose against the background of the continued serious ill-health of a key witness which had significantly delayed the taking of evidence and significant items of security intelligence which only recently and unexpectedly had been made available to the Tribunal by the British authorities and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Minister Shatter said 'Not least for the sake of the families of the late Chief Superintendent Breen and Superintendent Buchanan, we have been anxious that the Tribunal complete its work as quickly as possible. But it is also important that the work of the Tribunal is completed fully and it is clear, because of the circumstances which have arisen, as outlined by the Chairman, that it is necessary to extend the deadline for the Tribunal to complete its work. Accordingly, I will shortly put before the Dáil and Seanad motions to extend the conclusion date for the Tribunal to 31 July, 2013. In line with the approach which I have taken to ensure that the Oireachtas is fully informed by the Tribunal of progress in its work, the motions will also require the Tribunal to submit interim reports by 31 January, 2013 and again by 30 April, 2013.'