The publication of the controversial report identifying some 200 individuals and companies with accounts in Ansbacher (Cayman) Ltd has been delayed due to the "mammoth" task of preparing and printing the 10,000-page document, the High Court heard yesterday.
Everything possible to minimise the delay was being done by the printers and the staff of the office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, the director, Mr Paul Appleby, said.
The report was to have been published at noon next Tuesday but it is not now expected to be ready for publication until Thursday or Friday, the President of the High Court, Mr Justice Finnegan, was told.
The matter is to be mentioned to the judge again at 2 p.m. on Monday when it is expected a definite date for publication will be given.
Last Monday, Mr Justice Finnegan directed that the report should be published, despite objections by lawyers acting for a number of unnamed parties.
The judge said the report should be published in full and without omission. Any embarrassment felt by those named in the report would be outweighed by the public interest, he added. He said publication should be on Tuesday next.
However, yesterday afternoon, Mr Eoghan Fitzsimons SC, for the Director of Corporate Enforcement, after pointing out that the judge had given leave to apply to the court if there were any problems, said there had been logistical problems in relation to the printing of the report from disks and programs.
Mr Justice Finnegan said he would be disposed on Monday to considering a date for publication. He was aware the Dáil would be in recess and the intention was that it would be recalled to consider the report. That was a matter he should take into account.
In a statement afterwards, the director of corporate enforcement said he hoped to indicate to the court on Monday when precisely the report would be published. Mr Appleby added that on Monday last, counsel on his behalf had indicated to the High Court his willingness to assist the court in arranging for the printing and publication of the report. His staff immediately arranged for the engagement of printers by the Government Supplies Agencies (GSA) and subsequently facilitated contact between the inspectors' secretariat and the printers in the transfer of the report.
As the 200 files in various formats constituting the inspectors' report were progressively examined, a number of technical issues were coming to light in a minority of cases, Mr Appleby said. All those issues had been successfully addressed to date but the process of examining and checking the files and resolving the associated technical issues was taking time.
All that work must be completed successfully, before the reproduction of the report in hard copy and CD-Rom formats could start, he added.
Mr Appleby said it was unfortunate that a postponement of the original date of publication set by the High Court was required. However, last Monday, Mr Justice Finnegan had acknowledged that this was a possibility and gave liberty to seek an alternative date if possible. He planned to do so on Monday, added Mr Appleby.