The number of people attending the taking of Mr Joseph Murphy snr's evidence in Guernsey in the Channel Islands next week will be confined to a few legal representatives and will be without a live video link to Dublin, it was said yesterday.
The chairman said that as he did not wish for any publicity in the Channel Islands, transcripts of the proceedings would be made available to the press.
This facility would also be available to all parties with representation.
The chairman, the registrar, legal representatives of Mr Murphy, Mr James Gogarty and the tribunal, and a stenographer would be present.
The chairman made his announcement after an application by Mr Gogarty's legal team that they should be present to cross-examine Mr Murphy.
Yesterday, the chairman said he had rethought the matter. He wanted to achieve the following: a stress-free situation which was vital to the health and well-being of Mr Murphy; an economic and effective hearing, and fair and appropriate representation for interested parties.
This could be done by sitting as a Commissioner and he would appoint himself.
As a Commission, the evidence was recorded in the transcript which was in due course read into the proceedings.
They could vary it a little to ensure everybody had a full and fair opportunity to understand what was happening.
"I've abandoned the idea of a live TV link. I see no real purpose in that," the chairman stated.
It was clear Mr Murphy had to have his appropriate representation and that was a matter for him.
In the absence of a TV link, Mr Gogarty's legal team would have to be represented and, of course, the tribunal.
The other two parties, those representing Bailey/Bovale and Mr Ray Burke, were peripherally involved.
Mr Murphy had furnished a statement in which his and Bailey/ Bovale's version of events were identical.
Unless the situation changed, there was nothing likely to be said by Mr Murphy of which he had notice to affect Bailey/Bovale adversely. The same situation applied to Mr Burke.
There was nothing adverse to Mr Burke.
"That being the situation, what I propose to do, is to hold a Commission as indicated . . . I would give to all people who have representation the ordinary facility of the transcript on a daily basis.
"Nominally speaking it doesn't become public property until it is read into the record, but unless there is a very great opposition to that, I really have no objection to - again I speak subject to any submission that may be made - the matter being available to the press through the transcript as obviously I don't wish for any publicity of any kind in the Channel Islands.
"It is my absolute desire - I'm very very concerned that I would do nothing that I don't have to do which could adversely affect the health and well-being of Mr Murphy," he said.
He proposed that should anything untoward occur, the other parties, who would have the transcript, could contact him in the Channel Islands. He saw no point in the TV link, as it would cost about £25,000 to £30,000.
The chairman said the commission would be held in a hotel conference centre. It would start on Tuesday and he and the tribunal team would travel on Monday to get set up.
Mr Garrett Cooney SC, for the Murphy group, said he would be travelling before that to meet Mr Murphy and assess how long a session he could endure.