Judicial review of Blayney committee early next month

A Judicial review into the manner and procedures used by the Blayney committee of inquiry into possible professional misconduct by accountants named in the McCracken Tribunal is to take place on December 1st. The call for a judicial review has delayed the work of the committee which was set up in October 1997. The review was sought in June by accountants Oliver Freaney & Co. The Blayney committee was established by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland (ICAI) to investigate possible misconduct by its members named in the McCracken Report. It is chaired by retired High Court judge Mr Justice John Blayney and the ICAI has promised to publish the committee's findings.

The McCracken Tribunal investigated payments by Dunnes Stores to politicians including the former Taoiseach, Mr Charles Haughey, and former minister, Mr Michael Lowry. Oliver Freaney, which was auditor to Mr Lowry's refrigeration business, Streamline, and joint auditor to Dunnes Stores with Deloitte and Touche, pulled out of the Blayney Inquiry hearings in June. It maintained that the procedures adopted by the committee were flawed and as a result it was not getting a fair hearing under the principles of natural law.

The ICAI has said that it will robustly resist any attempt to block the inquiry. Members of Oliver Freaney and partner Mr Noel Fox have been questioned by the committee. Deloitte and Touche managing partner Mr Paul Carty, who was a witness at the McCracken Tribunal, and tax partner Mr Pat Kenny have also appeared before the committee. The McCracken Tribunal found that Dunnes Stores had paid £1.3 million to a former Taoiseach, Mr Haughey.