A formal decision has not yet been made on whether there will be a sworn public inquiry into allegations of corruption and malpractice involving gardai in Co Donegal, according to the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue. A decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions on the case is still awaited he said. Two other investigations are under way and at least one of the reports "will be with me shortly and the other is well advanced".

The Minister said he wanted to see the truth determined and he also wanted to see public confidence in the Garda restored, in so far as it had been affected by the case. Mr O'Donoghue was replying to Labour's justice spokesman, Mr Brendan Howlin, who raised the issue during Justice questions.

The Minister could not say at this stage whether a public sworn inquiry by way of a tribunal would represent the best way of addressing the "bigger picture" issues in this case. "It is an option which I have not ruled out but neither am I convinced that it would necessarily be the best way of dealing with the matter. At this stage I have an open mind on the matter."

Stressing the onus on the House to be careful about what was said on the case, the Minister said they had to be careful not to prejudice any proceedings that might arise from the case.

Mr Howlin referred to media reports early last month that counsel for the DPP had stated that no prosecutions would ensue on foot of the investigations into Garda activity involving the McBrearty family in Donegal. He said an "inordinate" amount of time had passed since the completion of the report and the report itself took two years.

The Minister said the main report was with the DPP and it would be very "unwise" to publish it in the absence of a decisions being made by the director in relation to what prosecutions if any he would take.