The Government will respond to any request from Mr Justice Morris to extend the terms of reference of the tribunal of inquiry into allegations of corruption against certain gardai in Donegal, Mr Ahern told the Dáil today.
Mr Ahern said that if a proposal was made by Mr Justice Morris regardless of whether it had discussed and rejected in the Dáil previously, the Government would respond.
However, the chairman of the tribunal Mr Justice Morris stated that when a motion proposing the extension of the terms of reference was proposed by former Fine Gael Deputy Alan Shatter it was defeated in the Dáil.
"The people of Ireland, through voting for their elected representatives, have expressly rejected extending the terms of reference. I would have no business reversing the decision of the people of Ireland," he said yesterday.
The Department of Justice has confirmed that setting the terms of reference was a matter for the Oireachtas.
"The Oireachtas has decided the terms of reference, and the question of legal representation at the tribunal is a matter for the tribunal," the spokesman said.
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