There is currently one sitting Tribunal of Inquiry which comes under the aegis of my Department. The Smithwick Tribunal was established pursuant to the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts 1921-2002, to enquire into suggestions that members of the Garda Síochána or other employees of the State colluded in the fatal shootings of RUC Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and RUC Superintendent Bob Buchanan in 1989. The Tribunal was established by the Oireachtas in May 2005 arising from the Weston Park Agreement between the Irish and British Governments in 2001. The Tribunal is chaired by Judge Peter Smithwick.
The Tribunal's legal team comprises two Senior Counsel, one Junior Counsel and one Research Counsel. The Senior and Junior Counsel are paid at daily rates in accordance with the Government Decision of December 2004. Following the recent application of an 8 per cent reduction, these daily rates (exclusive of VAT) are €927.36 for a Senior Counsel, €618.24 for a Junior Counsel and €231.84 for a Research Counsel. The total in fees for the Tribunal's legal team to date is €2.147 million. The Tribunal's solicitor is on secondment from the Office of the Chief State Solicitor and is paid in accordance with the Principal Solicitor salary scale.
