The commission of inquiry into transactions at Irish Bank Resolution Corporation has cost €244,769 to date, it has emerged.
Sinn Féin's spokesman on Finance, Pearse Doherty, asked a series of questions about the commission's work through parliamentary questions this week.
However, only one reply was granted, and that was on the cost of the work since the commission’s establishment on June 16th.
Mr Doherty said the figure was moderate given the budget of the commission was €4 million for six months.
He said: “A sixteenth of what has expected to be spent has already been spent and we know the judge has been unable to access confidential data. It is difficult because we don’t know what the money has been spent on.
“We asked questions on how many staff the commission has and the number of legal and banking experts working with the commission, but they were disallowed.
‘Questions disallowed’
“All questions on the IBRC commission have been disallowed because the commission has been established. It is incredibly frustrating.”
The commission was established on June 16th this year, but its work has been halted by issues of confidentiality and legal privilege being cited by the bank's special liquidators and by the Department of Finance.
The Department of the Taoiseach told Mr Doherty it is unable to estimate how much the commission's work will cost in total.
The Government had originally allocated a budget of €4 million, but it had expected to have the work completed by the end of the year.
The interim report by Mr Justice Brian Cregan has been sent to Government and is due to be published in coming days.
It is understood the judge has told the Government that it could take up to nine months to review each transaction.
Eight-year estimate
While some of these reviews can run in parallel, the judge has estimated that it could take up to eight years to complete the inquiry’s work. Mr Cregan has requested a second judge to help him with his work.
The Government has not yet decided how to address the issues raised by Mr Cregan. Emergency legislation is being considered.
The High Court may also be asked to determine whether the confidential documents can be used by the commission.
Mr Doherty raised concerns with Minister for Finance Michael Noonan and Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett about his parliamentary questions being disallowed.
He said: “We are prevented from doing this but you can step out onto the plinth and anybody with an NUJ card, anyone who is accredited by the media, can ask the Ministers those questions.
“But in this house, democratically elected TDs are not entitled to ask these questions and the rules are an absolute farce - and I think the public see them for what they are.”
