Morris tribunal:The Morris tribunal of inquiry into allegations of Garda corruption against some gardaí in Co Donegal will convene for what is expected to be its final session today.
Closing arguments from lawyers representing gardaí alleged to have conducted a campaign of harassment against several inter-related families from Raphoe will be heard.
These allegations relate to the arrest of 12 innocent people in December 1996 during what was then being treated as a murder inquiry. The death of Raphoe cattle dealer Richie Barron has since been deemed to have been due to a hit-and-run car crash.
The winding up of the tribunal began on Monday when the last witness was heard. Séamus McKenna SC, former chairman of the Garda Complaints Board, was the last witness to appear before the inquiry on its 685th day of evidence.
Mr McKenna gave evidence on how the statutory body dealt with a series of complaints from the McBrearty family and others, dating from late 1996 to 1998.
Tribunal chairman Mr Justice Frederick Morris said afterwards that an estimated 1,000 witnesses had appeared before the tribunal since its first day of evidence on March 3rd, 2003.
The retired president of the High Court recalled that before hearings began, he and lead tribunal barrister Peter Charleton, who is now a High Court judge, estimated that it would take 18 months to hear all the evidence.
"God help us, how naive we were," he commented.
Marking the conclusion of the hearing of evidence and looking forward to the closing of the tribunal today, Mr Justice Morris thanked the tribunal legal and administrative staff and investigators for their assistance in the years since hearings began, and the Garda Commissioner and his legal team for their assistance.
"Now ladies and gentlemen, Bob Geldof summed up Live Aid extraordinarily well when he said 'that's it then'," Mr Justice Morris said. He added: "Thank you."
In addition to complaints arising from the Barron investigation, the tribunal has examined allegations that two detectives planned fake bomb finds to promote their careers, and allegations that false evidence was planted by gardaí.
An estimated €14 million in compensation has been paid by the taxpayer to date as a result of civil claims brought against the State. The final cost of the tribunal itself is not yet known, but to date, the bill runs to €37.5 million, according to recent figures.