Seanad report:Shane Ross (Ind) said he thought there was a danger that people involved in the tribunals were perpetuating them for the sake of keeping them going and earning easy money.
Tánaiste Michael McDowell had rightly raised an issue that should be discussed seriously in the House.
This was a somewhat taboo subject for political practitioners because the tribunals, which were particularly effective and laudable inquiries, had politicians in their sights.
"I think the reality is that whereas the objective of what they are doing is something which we share, and everybody wants to see the truth, they have completely lost their way."
Joe O'Toole (Ind) intervened to say the judges sitting on the tribunals did not earn one extra penny, so they had no additional interest in keeping them going.
Jim Walsh (FF) said the tribunals had undoubtedly done some good work, "but what we have here is a runaway gravy train". Unless the new fees set by the Government were implemented "as a matter of immediacy", a halt should be called to the current tribunals, and the outstanding issues should be referred to commissions of investigation.
David Norris (Ind) said there should be an audit of the cost of the tribunals.
Martin Mansergh (FF) said he wished he had not cashed at least one of the blank cheques that had been pre-signed by Bertie Ahern.
"I often wish that I had been sufficiently well off not to cash one of them, and to keep a souvenir of a cheque signed Haughey, MacSharry and Ahern."