Fennelly commission requests extra time as 500 solicitor firms seek answers

Mr Justice Nial Fennelly, the retired Supreme Court judge leading the commission investigating the covert recording of phone calls in Garda stations, has sought an extension until 30 September 2016 before producing his final report.

More than 500 solicitor firms are assisting Mr Justice Fennelly on the investigation following pro-active efforts in conjunction with the Law Society of Ireland to contact solicitors.

Earlier attempts to reach solicitors by placing simple advertisements and notices in the Law Society’s e-zine and the Law Society Gazette resulted in fewer than 35 solicitors volunteering their phone numbers.

Phone numbers from over 500 solicitor firms are now being compared with a database of calls which were recorded between 2008-13.

The commission is attempting to establish whether any telephone conversations between solicitors and their clients were recorded by telephone recording systems installed in Garda offices.

An interim report published by Mr Justice Fennelly yesterday says this aspect of the commission’s work should be “substantially completed by March/April 2016”.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has been asked to approve a delivery date for the commission’s final report of 30 September 2016.