List of public inquiries in the Republic of Ireland

In Ireland, there are several kinds of public inquiry. A Tribunal of Inquiry, often simply called a tribunal, is a powerful type of statutory inquiry whose procedures are governed by the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921 as amended. An Oireachtas inquiry is a less powerful non-statutory inquiry controlled directly by the Oireachtas (parliament). A 2013 proposal to strengthen the power of Oireachtas inquiries was defeated at a referendum. The Law Reform Commission published a report in 2005 examining the operation of public inquiries and recommending changes. A Commission of Investigation is a different form of inquiry, with evidence generally given in private; provided by the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004 to address scandals relating to medical care and child abuse.

Tribunals of inquiry

Tribunals have been held to address many political controversies, increasing in frequency since the Beef Tribunal of the early 1990s. While they have been the subject of many dramatic revelations in Irish politics, they have also become known for running long beyond their intended length – the extreme case being the Mahon Tribunal (previously the Flood Tribunal) which began in 1997 and issued its final report in 2013.

The Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act, 1921 was enacted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland before the setting up of the Irish Free State and as such remains in the Republic of Ireland. It has, however, been amended since by several Acts of the Oireachtas. The chair of the inquiry is mandated by the Oireachtas (following resolutions in both the Dáil and the Seanad) to carry out the inquiry into matters of urgent public importance by a Warrant of Appointment. The terms of reference of the inquiry are given as part of that warrant.

Tribunals of Inquiry are established by the Oireachtas where the evidence of malfeasance might not be enough to secure a criminal conviction, but where public policy requires answers. Critics of the system say that tribunals: are relatively toothless; may give witnesses immunity that they would not obtain from a court; allow legal representation to all parties, resulting in a higher final cost to the State than the cost of the original malfeasance; and that they can delay difficult political decisions. The Comptroller and Auditor General published a report in 2008 into the cost of Tribunals of Inquiry and making recommendations. It noted that most of the cost of a tribunal was in legal fees for third parties, as distinct from administration and the tribunal's own legal fees.

Tribunals of Inquiry are invested with the powers, privileges and rights of the High Court. It is not a function of a Tribunal to administer justice; their work is solely inquisitorial. Tribunals are required to report their findings to the Oireachtas. They have the power to enforce the attendance and examination of witnesses and the production of relevant documents. Tribunals may consist of one or more persons, though the practise has been to appoint a Sole Member. Tribunals may sit with or without Assessors (who are not Tribunal members). Sittings are usually held in public but can, at the Tribunal's discretion, be held in private.

List

The following is a list:

Name	Subject	Member(s)	Dáil resolution	Seanad resolution	Ministerial order	Report laid
	Retail prices of "articles in general consumption" (food)		16 December 1925	27 January 1926
	Ports and Harbours		19 January 1926	27 January 1927
	Shooting of Timothy Coughlan		15 February 1928	15 February 1928
	Whether mixture of maize meal and maize products with home-grown cereals would be in the national interest		27 November 1929	28 November 1929		12 October 1931
	Marketing of butter		30 April 1930	14 May 1930
	Promotion of pig production		5 May 1933	11 May 1933	18 May 1933	26 January 1934
	Grading etc. of Fruit and Vegetables		12 December 1934	19 December 1934		14 September 1940
	Town Tenants		13 December 1935	18 December 1935
	Pearse Street fire		25 November 1936	N/A		15 September 1937
	Public Transport		7 December 1938	7 December 1938
	Fire at St. Josephs Orphanage, Cavan		3 March 1943	10 March 1943		17 September 1943
	Dealings in Great Southern Railways Stocks between 1/1/1943 and 18/11/1943		24 November 1943	25 November 1943		20 September 1944
	Allegations by Patrick McCarvill against Conn Ward, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government and Public Health		5 June 1946	5 June 1946
	Disposal of Distillery of John Locke and Co. Ltd., Kilbeggan		6 November 1947	5 November 1947		20 December 1947
	Cross Channel Freight Rates		23 October 1957	13 November 1957		12 June 1959
	Pay of clerical-grade public servants		3 October 1965	10 October 1965	30 November 1965	25 May 1966
	Death of Liam O'Mahony in Garda custody		18 July 1967	19 July 1967		1 December 1967
	"Seven Days" Television programme on Illegal Moneylending		December 1969	December 1969	December 1969	19 August 1970
	Allegations made by two Members in the Dáil against the Minister For Local Government James Tully		3 July 1975	4 July 1975	4 July 1975
Costello Inquiry	Whiddy Island Disaster		6 March 1979	6 March 1979	9 April 1979
	Fire at Stardust Club, Artane		18 February 1981	19 February 1981	20 February 1981	12 November 1982
Kerry Babies Tribunal	"Kerry Babies" case		11 December 1984	12 December 1984	13 December 1984	4 October 1985
Beef Tribunal	Beef Processing Industry	Liam Hamilton	24 May 1991	29 May 1991	31 May 1991	9 August 1994
Finlay Tribunal	Hepatitis C infection of pregnant women from Rho(D) immune globulin	Thomas Finlay	17 October 1996	17 October 1996	24 October 1996	11 March 1997
McCracken Tribunal	Alleged Payments by Dunnes Stores	Brian McCracken	6 February 1997	6 February 1997		25 August 1997
Moriarty Tribunal	Payments by Ben Dunne to Charles Haughey and Michael Lowry	Michael Moriarty	11 September 1997	18 September 1997	26 September 1997
Mahon Tribunal	Planning matters (including rezoning by Dublin local authorities)	Alan Mahon, with Mary Faherty and Gerald Keys; prev Feargus Flood	7 October 1997 / 1 July 1998 / 5 July 2001 / 28 March 2002 / 3 July 2003 / 17 November 2004	8 October 1997 / 2 July 1998 / 5 July 2001 / 28 March 2002 / 4 July 2003 / 17 November 2004	4 November 1997 / 15 July 1998 / 24 October 2002 / 7 July 2003 / 3 December 2004	22 March 2012 (Vol I-IV); 31 July 2013 (Vol V)
Lindsay Tribunal	HIV and Hepatitis C infection of haemophiliacs		2 June 1999	2 June 1999		5 September 2002
Barr Tribunal	shooting of John Carthy in Abbeylara, County Longford on 20 April 2000	Robert Barr	17 April 2002	18 April 2002	1 July 2002	20 September 2006
Morris Tribunal	concerning some Gardaí of the Donegal Division		28 March 2002	28 March 2002	24 April 2002	June 2004–September 2008 (8 volumes)
Smithwick Tribunal	whether Irish officials colluded in the murder of two RUC officers on 20 March 1989	Peter Smithwick	23 March 2005	24 March 2005	31 May 2005	3 December 2013

Notes

Other inquiries

Non-tribunal official inquiries, and subsequent reports, include:

• 2005–ongoing: Commission of Investigation: Dublin and Monaghan Bombings 1974 (Sole Member: Patrick MacEntee)
• 2005: the Travers Report into overcharging of fees at some nursing homes. Between refundable fees and legal costs the Tribunal's findings would cost €500 million.
• 2005: the Ferns Report on clerical sexual abuse in the Irish Catholic Diocese of Ferns, County Wexford
• 2008: the Baker-Tilly Report into procurement practices at Córas Iompair Éireann
• 2000–2009 The Ryan Report (CICA) on child abuse at religiously run institutions
• 2006–2009: The Murphy Report on the Sexual abuse scandal in Dublin archdiocese