Duration: The Government has been told by the chairman of the Moriarty (Payments to Politicians) Tribunal that he will complete his second report by the end of the year.
Mr Justice Michael Moriarty said the commitment he had given the Government and the Oireachtas was subject to the requirements of fairness; however he "unequivocally and emphatically" intended to honour the commitment.
The tribunal published its first report in December of last year. The report concerned payments to the late Charles Haughey and benefits which may have been received in return.
The second report will deal with payments to former Fine Gael minister Michael Lowry, as well as the awarding of the State's second mobile phone licence to Esat Digifone in 1996.
The tribunal resumed sittings yesterday, its first public sitting since May 2006. Mr Justice Moriarty said this session was expected to last for two to three weeks.
He said he might be in a position to deliver a ruling on a matter concerning the licence competition inquiry at the end of the current public session.
The tribunal is considering whether it will consent to a request to call economist Peter Bacon to give evidence.
Mr Bacon produced a report for the tribunal on the licence competition and interested parties now want to question him concerning this work.
