Eight years on, Mulcahy Report into alleged planning corruption remains unpublished

The Department of Housing said this week that its position on publishing the 2017 Mulcahy Report into Gerard Convie's claims has not changed. Picture: iStock 

The Department of Housing’s position on publishing a report into accusations of planning corruption in Donegal has not changed — eight years since its completion.

The Mulcahy Report was completed in June 2017 but has still not been published despite changes in government due to concerns over the nature of the contents and fears that some may be defamatory. 

Sources have said only a small number of copies of the report are in circulation.

In 2015, Rory Mulcahy SC was appointed to carry out a review into claims made by whistleblower Gerard Convie, alleging irregularities within the planning department of a local council during the early 2000s.

Rory Mulcahy SC, who was appointed in 2015 to carry out a review into claims made by whistleblower Gerard Convie. File picture: David Keane

Mr Convie had previously contested the findings of an internal review into his claims, which cast doubt on his motivations, by taking legal action in the High Court.

In 2013, the Department of the Environment was compelled to retract that internal review, reverse its conclusions, and issue an apology to Mr Convie. 

He had submitted a dossier containing 20 sample cases to the government in 2010, which led then environment minister John Gormley to initiate an independent review. 

However, that process was discontinued in 2011 following a change in government. 

Mr Gormley’s successor, Phil Hogan, instead commissioned an internal review. Completed in 2012, it found no evidence of wrongdoing and questioned Mr Convie’s reasons for raising the allegations.

Mr Mulcahy completed his report in June 2017, but it has not yet been made public.

Asked this week if the report might be published, the Department of Housing said its position was unchanged. A statement said: “The minister is considering the report and will bring this matter to Government for consideration in due course.

“The Attorney General’s office has been consulted on both the content of the report and also on the issue of its potential publication and dissemination. 

The review is a scoping report and as such it does not make findings as to the truth or otherwise of allegations that have been made by an individual against named persons.

“[T]his is a matter that requires careful consideration given that the scoping report details unproven allegations against named persons.”