Mr Justice Moriarty said public hearings of the tribunal would take place as soon as possible and he disputed speculation that there could be an unreasonable wait.
"One or two speculations which I have casually heard of as regards rather protracted or pessimistic deferrals appear to me not to reflect the very genuine commitment that I and the members of the team have to proceed with public sittings as soon as it is feasible and realistically possible."
He also said that while it would be wrong for him to set out the nature of the investigative work the tribunal has carried out so far, "I believe it will be shown that the tribunal and its legal members have not been inactive or torpid during the period of deferral".
He said he would not nominate a definite starting date for public sittings at this stage. They are expected to begin early next year unless another legal challenge to the tribunal's working is launched.
Mr Paul Gardiner BL appeared yesterday for Mr Haughey but said he was not seeking representation at this stage. He said he wanted to reserve his position to his right to make representations concerning the tribunal's interpretation of its terms of reference.
Representation was granted to Mr Haughey's four children, Mr Conor Haughey, Mr Sean Haughey, Mr Ciaran Haughey and Ms Eimear Mulhearn, and to Mr Jack Stakelum and Mr Sam Field Corbett, both of whom were involved in aspects of the management of Mr Haughey's finances in the past and both of whom have been asked by the tribunal team to be of assistance.