Encouraging move to try to find answers to vital questions

The name of the game right now is ‘encouragement’, writes Fiachra Ó’Cionnaith

And, with a loaded gun aiming directly at them after it was added to the Government non-statutory inquiry arsenal last night, such encouragement is exactly what the people it will want to speak to have been given.

Today, Sports Minister Shane Ross will announce the terms of reference for the Government’s investigation into Ireland’s Olympics ticket touting scandal and the name of the judge overseeing what happens next.

Included in the inquiry structure will be a specific clause allowing a full-blown State investigation to be set up immediately if witnesses currently prepared to talk to an inquiry which does not have any powers to make them do so suddenly lose their voice.

The move is the result of responses from opposition parties to the draft terms yesterday, discussions sparked by genuine fears the still non-statutory inquiry would be powerful enough to find the answers it needs unless it at least had the threat of forcing witnesses to attend.

And while it has not completely removed those concerns, the development will at least allow the Government to take a stronger position with potential witnesses in the weeks to come.

Under the initial draft terms of reference drawn up by Attorney General Máire Whelan, Mr Ross, and junior sports minister Patrick O’Donovan, the 12-week inquiry was to focus mainly on Rio 2016 but be “flexible” enough to examine previous years including the London 2012 games.

Attorney General Máire Whelan

However, given its non-statutory nature, it could not force people to attend or hand over documents, an issue now in part resolved by the clause allowing a State inquiry.

Given the hung Dáil era of Irish politics, the move was in part made to appease Fianna Fáil, which called for the development in submissions yesterday.

However, despite the beefing up of the inquiry’s potential powers by making a specific nod to what could happen if witnesses choose to clam up — and separate news that the investigation’s scope will now stretch back as far as 2010, when THG received the London 2012 ticket re-sale license — not all parties are happy.

In separate submissions yesterday, Sinn Féin said it continues to believe a full State inquiry is the only option which will uncover the true extent of the Olympics ticket issues, regardless of any threatened action in the terms of reference.

It said unless this happens, issues such as whether the London 2012 and Rio 2016 contracts were put out to tender; how Pro10 secured the contract “given it has little experience”; and an audit of the OCI’s governance structures, will not be possible.

The point was even more firmly made by Labour leader Brendan Howlin, who said his party will play no role in the investigation until it can be assured it is more than a “scoping exercise” — something the party will no doubt feel even more strongly about given the terms of reference news.

Potential inquiry witnesses will this morning be in no doubt as to what will happen if they fail to help the investigation fully. ‘Encouragement’ has been given; answers are now needed.