An investigation carried out by the Mahon tribunal has failed to identify the source of a leak of confidential information regarding payments made to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
In a statement yesterday, the chairman of the tribunal, Judge Alan Mahon, said it was suspending the inquiry established following publication by The Irish Times in September of details regarding payments made to Mr Ahern.
He said that it appeared that until such time as the editor of The Irish Times, Geraldine Kenny, or its public affairs correspondent, Colm Keena, were prepared, or were otherwise compelled, to disclose the information available to them regarding the source of documentation which formed the basis of the article, the tribunal would be unable to identify the source.
"The tribunal will therefore suspend its present inquiry into this matter pending the results of its application to the High Court under Section 4 of the Tribunal of Inquiry (Evidence) (Amendment) Act 1997 to enforce compliance by Ms Kennedy and Mr Keena with the tribunal's order," Judge Mahon stated.
He said that the article had been based on the unauthorised disclosure by The Irish Times of the contents of a letter written in confidence by the tribunal.
He said the tribunal had taken a number of steps to identify the source of the unauthorised disclosure. He said the recipient of the letter and his solicitor had said that they were not responsible for the unauthorised disclosure.
Judge Mahon said that he had interviewed all tribunal staff known to have had sight of the documentation. He said that all had co-operated fully and said that they had not disclosed the contents. All other tribunal personnel were also questioned.
He said that he had also written to the clerk of the Dáil seeking any assistance from political parties in relation to the inquiry but that no information had been received.
"As of today's date the tribunal's internal inquiries have not provided any evidence which identifies or may assist in the identification of the source or likely source of the unauthorised disclosure.
"The tribunal notes that many individuals and commentators have nonetheless firmly and unequivocally stated in public that the tribunal itself was known to have leaked the information in question. The tribunal has found no evidence to support this assertion," Judge Mahon stated.
