Siteserv inquiry delayed till after election

The Government’s high-profile investigation into the sale of Siteserv to businessman Denis O’Brien and a string of other controversial deals will not be completed before the election because of a legal brick wall over what it can examine.

The latest delay in the investigation into billions of euro worth of deals by IBRC was revealed by the judge overseeing the inquiry at the weekend, forcing the Coalition to scramble to draw up emergency legislation amid claims it deliberately created the legal gap.

In a letter to Taoiseach Enda Kenny on Friday, presiding judge Brian Cregan said the commission of investigation set up to examine the deals “is not in a position to proceed with its investigation” because it has not been given the adequate powers to write a report of any substance.