What happens next: The Standards in Public Office Commission will decide next week whether to proceed with a full-scale inquiry into contracts secured by a supporter of the Minister for Transport, Mr Cullen, in bodies under his political control.
The State's official ethics watchdog said in a statement yesterday that it was studying the report of a separate inquiry into the contracts won by Ms Monica Leech when Mr Cullen was in charge of the Office of Public Works and the Department of the Environment.
That report by former Revenue chairman Mr Dermot Quigley highlighted certain procedural weaknesses but found that Mr Cullen did not break any rules in relation to the contracts.
In recent weeks, officials in the OPW and Department of the Environment made "discovery on oath" for the commission of all documents related to Ms Leech's contracts.
While the Standards in Public Office Commission spokesman said the body had completed its examination of all the relevant OPW and Department files, he said the specific arrangements for the meeting next week had not been finalised.
"The commission will be meeting next week to consider the matter and it will issue a statement after that meeting," the spokesman added.
It is open to the commission to drop the matter or proceed with a full-scale investigation under the ethics Acts.
