All Fine Gael councillors elected in the Dublin region since 1985 are to be questioned in the coming week by the party's commission of inquiry into planning decisions, writes Kevin Rafter, Political Reporter.
Some 61 public representatives who were successfully returned at the local elections in 1985, 1991 and 1998 will be contacted by the commission to arrange individual meetings.
An interim report is expected to be sent by May 7th to the Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton. A copy of the report will also be submitted to the Flood tribunal and, if necessary, to the disciplinary committee of the Fine Gael National Executive.
A decision on whether the report will be made public has not yet been taken. However, a party spokesman said a full statement on the report would be issued.
The commission is being chaired by a barrister, Mr James Nugent. The other members are the Fine Gael general secretary, Mr Tom Curran; Mr Kevin O'Higgins, solicitor to Fine Gael; and Mr Buddy Kiernan, a trustee.
A similar, more focused, exercise has been under way in Fianna Fail since last weekend.
All of the party's councillors on Dublin County Council in 1991 were told that the Fianna Fail committee on standards in public life was investigating the decision to rezone the Quarryvale site in west Dublin.
The committee, which is due to meet today, will start formal interviews shortly. The other members of the committee, chaired by Dr Rory O'Hanlon, are three TDs, Mr Michael Ahern, Mr Dick Roche and Mr David Andrews, and the party's general secretary, Mr Martin Mackin.
The committee will not deal with the allegations made by a businessman against the Taoiseach. The Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Dr McDaid, said the allegations were "prompted by the idea that if you cannot get the man on his policies, you resort to attacks on his character".