After 26 days, 150,000 pages of evidence and 142 witnesses, the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Mr Jim Mitchell, wound up the Dail inquiry into DIRT yesterday with the single caveat: "It is open to the inquiry to call further public hearings later should that necessity arise."
This would only happen, however, if the circumstances "were of sufficient importance to warrant it", he added.
The inquiry encompassed two principal phases which focused on the Comptroller and Auditor General's investigation and the committee's own public hearings. Of particular significance is the fact that neither phase was interrupted by legal challenge of any sort.
The committee comprises Mr Sean Ardagh, Mr Sean Doherty and Mr Denis Foley (FF); Mr Bernard Durkan (FG); Mr Pat Rabbitte (Lab) and Mr Mitchell. Today it will begin its review of the evidence, with legal advisers Ms Mary Irvine SC, Mr Frank Clarke SC and Mr Paul Gilligan SC.
The final report, Mr Mitchell promised, would be "every bit as fair" as the procedures and hearings. He noted it was of particular importance the committee's proceedings should be as "widely known" to the public as possible. The inquiry was especially grateful to TG4 for carrying the proceedings live throughout the public hearings.
"It is our hope that the cause of public accountability will have been advanced by this entire process and that the profession of politics will have been elevated to a level which meets public expectations," Mr Mitchell concluded.
Mr Mitchell has not yet revealed how much the inquiry will have cost the taxpayer, but he already intimated that it would be "well covered" by the increased revenues which would result from retention tax on deposit account interest.