THE LEADERS of the five political parties in the Dáil have agreed to write to the chairman of the Moriarty tribunal asking him to complete his final report as quickly as possible.
While the party leaders agreed to make no explicit reference to Mr Justice Moriarty’s suggestion that the report could be split into two sections, and published at different times, it is understood no support for such a course was expressed at the meeting.
“The clear inference is that the preferred outcome is one report done as speedily and as economically as possible,” said one party source.
The meeting took place in the Taoiseach’s office in Government Buildings yesterday afternoon and went on for 50 minutes. All of the parties involved described it as constructive.
Mr Cowen, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore, Green Party leader John Gormley and Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin agreed at the meeting to formulate a joint response to the judge’s letter.
A Government spokesman said later that all the leaders were anxious that the tribunal’s work be completed as soon as possible consistent with its mandate and intended to reply to the judge’s letter shortly.
The drafting of that letter will take place today and will be given to the clerk of the Dáil Kieran Coughlan for dispatch to the tribunal when the wording has been agreed by all of the party leaders.
The meeting yesterday took place at the instigation of Mr Kenny who suggested last week that all of the party leaders should agree a joint response to the judge’s letter.
Mr Justice Moriarty met the Taoiseach last Thursday to explain new difficulties surrounding the drafting of his final report. Mr Cowen told the other party leaders about the details of that meeting and it did not become a matter of contention between them.
In his letter to the Oireachtas last week Mr Justice Moriarty said that he was giving consideration to splitting his final report in two with one part being published quickly and the other at some future date.
He said he was considering an early report on the “money trail” involving former minister Michael Lowry but the investigation into the awarding of the first mobile phone licence would be published at a later stage.
“This was not a course that I had countenanced at earlier stages of the tribunal’s work but, in the context of an element of further delay, I believe that it may have much to recommend it. To adopt such a course would involve a deviation on my part from an earlier statement by me of my views,” he wrote.
The view at yesterday’s meeting of party leaders was that such an approach by the judge could prompt further legal action by affected parties and involve even more delays.
There was also agreement among the leaders that the message to the Moriarty tribunal about finishing its work as quickly as possible should also apply to other tribunals which have still to issue final reports.