The Minister for Justice has received the report of the second module of the Morris tribunal. He will bring it to Cabinet next week and will lay it before the Houses of the Oireachtas within 14 days of receiving it, provided this is not thought likely to prejudice any criminal investigation.
If he thinks publication might prejudice any criminal proceedings he will apply to the High Court for directions regarding publication.
The report concerns the investigation into the death of Richard Barron and extortion phone calls to Michael and Charlotte Peoples.
It is understood to be as hard-hitting as the first report, published last year, which was highly critical of the culture of silence within the Garda Síochána.
This report, which reportedly runs to more than 700 pages and contains nine chapters, will be the longest and most detailed report published by an Irish tribunal.
Along with the first report, it will cover the main areas mentioned in the terms of reference setting up the tribunal. The remaining areas are expected to be dealt with in the next 18 months.
Mr Barron was killed while walking home after leaving a pub in Raphoe on October 14th, 1996.
Members of the McBrearty family were accused by gardaí of his murder.
Frank McBrearty jnr and his cousin, Mark McConnell, allegedly admitted involvement in the murder while in Garda custody. They later denied making any incriminating statements, and were never charged.
Mr Barron's body was later exhumed and pathologists' reports found that he had most likely died as a result of a road traffic accident.
Michael Peoples, who is related to the McBreartys, was also arrested during the investigation.
He and his wife Charlotte received extortion phone calls to their home in November 1996.
The terms of reference setting up the tribunal asked for an investigation into "The making of extortion and hoax telephone calls to the home of Michael and Charlotte Peoples on November 9th, 1996, and the subsequent Garda investigation into that complaint."
It also calls for "Investigations in relation to the death of Mr Richie Barron of Raphoe, Co Donegal, on October 14th, 1996, with particular reference to the arrest and treatment of persons in custody in connection with that investigation, the progress, management and effectiveness of the Garda investigation with particular reference to the management of informants."
The tribunal has been sitting for almost three years investigating a number of allegations concerning certain members of the Garda in Donegal.
The report of the first module, published last July, dealt with the activities of two detectives who planted bogus explosives in the years leading up to the first IRA ceasefire.