Mahon Tribunal will never release video evidence

The Mahon Tribunal has declared that years of video of witnesses giving evidence will never be released.

Officials with the planning corruption probe have said it will release its long-awaited final report soon.

However, the judges with the inquiry have now announced that evidence at hearings, which were electronically recorded, will never enter the public domain.

Several taoisigh, dozens of former ministers, TDs, developers and lawyers appeared in the witness box between 1997 and 2008.

The stored video footage includes several appearances by Bertie Ahern, whose finances were thoroughly probed by tribunal lawyers.

The inquiry was originally set up in 1997 to deal with allegations of planning corruption in north Dublin and its remit later included payments to politicians and officials.

The final report is expected to cover allegations made about a number of high-profile Fianna Fáil individuals, who include former government press secretary Frank Dunlop, former EU commissioner Pádraig Flynn, and deceased TD Liam Lawlor.

In a statement put on the tribunal’s website, the inquiry said it had recently received media queries relating to the use of the recording of evidence.

The footage was originally used on a number of occasions to correct errors in the stenographically recorded transcripts of evidence.

“The camera recording the witnesses giving evidence was clearly visible at all times,” the inquiry said.

The tribunal statement added: “These electronic recordings have never been shown or released to any third party, and will not be in the future.”

It is understood that there are over 900 recorded days of footage which amount to thousands of hours of testimony.

The video archive includes many dramatic scenes that took place in the witness box in Dublin Castle.

These include the tearful breakdown of Mr Ahern’s former secretary Ms Carruth in 2008, after she accepted she had lodged sterling on his behalf.

Bertie Ahern announced he was resigning as taoiseach two weeks later — but he said it was not motivated by events at the tribunal.