"We have ended up with the worst of all worlds," the Progressive Democrats justice spokeswoman, Ms Liz O'Donnell, said after the report's publication.
"We have a Minister refusing to take political responsibility and we have an inquiry report that tails to catch anybody's eye. It leaves a huge question mark."
She described as "extraordinary and dangerous" the fact - as uncovered in the inquiry - that a judge appointed to the Special Criminal Court "tends to learn of their appointment in an informal way".
The inquiry also found that on the termination of a judge's role in the Special Criminal Court, that, there was no system to communicate the news to the person. According to Ms O'Donnell, the security implications of such an absence of procedure was "incredible", particularly in view of the extreme sensitivity attached to the Special Criminal Court.
The general secretary of Association of Higher Civil Servants, Mr Sean O'Riordan, said last night that, on initial reading, the report substantiated a great deal of what his organisation had been saying.
"There appears to have been a systems failure brought about by an extraordinary constellation of unlikely events, all happening together at the same time," Mr O'Riordan said
Mr Tom McKevitt, assistant general secretary of the Public Services Executive Union, said he and his organisation were glad to" see that the report listed work overload and staff inexperience as one of the causes of the failure.
He said the report also stated that the likelihood of human error was high in the organisational context of the Department of Justice - yet it was "a tribute to the staff of the Department that they handle so many routine and, especially, unique and unexpected transactions under pressure, with so few errors".
Meanwhile, there was criticism in political circles that the report was not published until 9.30 p.m. and that copies were not given quickly to Opposition spokespersons to enable them to have a considered reaction last night.
The Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, declined to comment on the findings late last night. However, a spokesman said the party's front bench would examine the report today.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats are expected to tussle with the Government today about the manner which the Coalition intends to handle the debate in the Dail.