THE fallout from the McBrearty scandal is far from over and many who have followed the events that began on that fateful day in October 1996 believe it can only get worse.

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell yesterday stood over his handling of the Donegal garda misconduct allegations despite the Government’s decision to issue a full solemn apology to the McBrearty family for their wrongful persecution by gardaí.

THE payment of legal costs to Justice Minister Michael McDowell and the Garda Commissioner at the Morris Tribunal while the McBrearty family are forced to pay their own costs is a miscarriage of justice, it was claimed yesterday.

Frank McBrearty Jnr has submitted a petition to the European Parliament claiming his family’s lack of legal aid in the Morris Tribunal goes against his human rights, it emerged today.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell adamantly refused today to guarantee the costs of crucial witnesses at the Morris Tribunal.

Judge Frederick Morris, chair of the inquiry into Garda corruption in Donegal, today denied he had gone behind the backs of witnesses to secure legal representation for them.

A Donegal family implicated in the death of cattle dealer Richie Barron were labelled the Don Corleone’s, it was claimed today.

A key witness at the Morris Tribunal was facing huge legal bills today after Justice Minister Michael McDowell turned down his request for help.

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell last night rejected calls for the widening of the terms of reference of the Morris Tribunal into allegations of garda misconduct in Donegal.

The Dail will today begin debating a motion calling on the Government to seek an extension of the terms of reference of the Morris Tribunal.

The Morris Tribunal has heard from a private invesigator that he was harassed by the Gardai.

The first sitting of the Tribunal established to investigate complaints concerning some gardai of the Donegal division takes place today.

A post mortem on the exhumed body of a Donegal man has shown that he died because of a hit-and-run and was not murdered, as gardai initially believed.