July 1995: Judge Dominic Lynch asks to be relieved of duties as a judge of the Special Criminal Court. Minister refuses his request.
July 2nd, 1996: Judge reiterates request to be "delisted". Minister accedes.
August 1st: Cabinet formally delists Judge Lynch. Judge Kevin Haugh is appointed to the Special Criminal Court pool. Decision not conveyed to Judge Lynch but is published in Iris Oifigiuil.
October 2nd: Attorney General, Mr Dermot Gleeson, "rites to Minister, indicating an impression" in judiciary that Judge Lynch is still a member of the Special Criminal Court. Asks Minister to establish if Cabinet decision was sent to Judge Lynch. Mr Gleeson's letter was sent to courts division of Department of Justice. Minister says she did not see letter.
October 10th: Judge Lynch writes to Minister, enclosing letter of July 2nd, asking what is his position vis a vis the Special Criminal Court. The October letter is not dated and, again, goes to courts division of Department. Minister does not see this letter either.
November 1st: Attorney General writes to Minister, saying he notes Judge Lynch still appears to be functioning in the Special Criminal Court. This could create legal difficulties, he says.
November 5th: The Attorney General's letter is received in Minister's office.
November 6th: Minister is told at 5 p.m. of serious problems relating to delisting affair. Mrs Owen told that cases heard by Judge Lynch in the Special Criminal Court after August 1st are unsound. She orders release of 16 high security prisoners.
November 7th: Early in the morning, the prisoners in question, are released, rearrested and brought to the Bridewell to be recharged. All are returned to custody.
Later that day, before she goes into the Dail to answer Opposition questions, the Minister is shown Judge Lynch's letter. She does not mention this undated letter in the House as she does not know when it was sent to her and as it could have arrived prior to the August 1st decision to delist the judge.
November 8th: Minister rings judge to apologise on behalf of her Department for not replying to his letters. She says she has seen a second, undated, letter from him. Judge says he will clarify the date.
November 11th: Judge Lynch writes to Minister confirming that the date of his second letter is October 10th.