18 witnesses expected to be cross-examined

Eighteen witnesses are expected to be cross-examined by lawyers for AIB and the Revenue Commissioners tomorrow and Monday before the DIRT inquiry ends. All 18 are from either AIB or the Revenue, and so far requests to re-examine witnesses have been confined to these two organisations.

To circumvent prolonged legal interventions during the inquiry, the Public Accounts Committee allocated a number of days at the end of the hearing to allow for such cross-examination.

The chairman of the committee, Mr Jim Mitchell, speaking to reporters during a break in proceedings, said Mr Tony Spollen, AIB's former group internal auditor, was not among the witnesses requested for recall. He said the lawyers would be required to adhere to the same rules as the inquiry's six TDs and he would chair the cross-examination.

Today the former chairman of the Revenue Commissioners, Mr Cathal Mac Domhnaill, and the current chairman, Mr Dermot Quigley, will be recalled for questioning about phone calls between Mr Mac Domhnaill, Mr Quigley and AIB around the time of Mr Mac Domhnaill's retirement as chairman.

The public hearing is expected to conclude on Tuesday with closing submissions from the financial institutions and the State agencies which appeared before the inquiry.