Arms trial enquiry expected to clear O' Malley

The Government inquiry into the 1970 Arms Trial is expected to clear the former Justice Minister Dessie O' Malley of any wrong-doing, according to reports today.

The inquiry is investigating accusations that Mr O' Malley tampered with the statement of a key witness.

The Sunday Tribune reveals that the inquiry has already established that neither Dessie O' Malley nor the secretary of the Department in 1970, Peter Bery, had any role in editing the statements of witnesses in the trial for the book of evidence.

The inquiries have suggested that the deletion of some material from the statement by the army head of intelligence at the time happened during the preparation of the book of evidence by state lawyers and the Gardai.

The inquiry will now try to establish whether these alterations were part of the normal legal process or were part of something more sinister.

Meanwhile, Mr O' Malley is also set to confirm that his telephone was tapped during his time in Government under Taoiseach Charles Haughey in the 1980s.

The revelation will be made in a television programme to be broadcast tonight detailing the life and times of the former PD minister.