The Centre for Public Inquiry is a non governmental organisation set up to investigate matters of public importance in Irish political, public and corporate life.

Press Release December 16th, 2005

1. The Board of the Centre for Public Inquiry reiterates its full confidence in its Executive Director, Frank Connolly and his integrity.
2. The Board notes the recent controversy surrounding the CPI. The claim made in Dáil Eireann by the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, that either Frank Connolly or the CPI, or both, could pose a threat to the security of the State is entirely without evidential basis, unsustainable, and totally untrue.
3. The CPI is an open, not for profit, organisation. It has published two major reports since it began work in the Spring of 2005. The most recent report concerns the Corrib gas pipeline controversy and appears to have provoked the ire of certain vested interests and their political supporters. The first report concerned the construction of an hotel in the shadow of Trim Castle, County Meath, a national monument in State care. It raised important issues of public concern including the manner in which the objections of the most senior officials charged with protecting the State’s heritage were overruled by a former Minister. Both reports were issued in the public interest, were factually based and devoid of comment. Other inquiries into matters of public importance are currently underway.
4. In relation to allegations made against Frank Connolly the Board of the CPI, as a body committed to high standards in public life, believes in valued legal principles such as the presumption of innocence and the application of due process. On Thursday last December 15th, 2005 a letter was issued by the Director for Public Prosecutions. It stated that the DPP had decided on March 7th, 2003, not to prosecute Mr Connolly in relation to allegations, which he has consistently denied, that he used a false passport. This information would have been available to the Minister for Justice, his Department and the Garda authorities for up to two years and eight months yet Mr Connolly was only informed of the DPP’s decision in recent days. The functions and decisions of the DPP are, by statute, independent.
5. Despite the DPP’s decision in March 2003 not to prosecute Mr Connolly, a private and public blackening of his character has been unleashed by the Minister.
6. This shows a signal departure from principles of fair dealing and respect for justice to the individual citizen by the State which are absolute, save in the most exceptional cases and where legislated upon by the Oireachtas.
7. The methods adopted by the Minister may well have undermined the status, authority and the statutory independence of the DPP.
8. A further statement concerning the relationship between Atlantic Philanthropies and CPI will be issued in due course.

Feargus Flood
Chairman.
On behalf of the Board of the Centre for Public Inquiry

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Statement of Frank Connolly, December 7th, 2005

Since 2002 false allegations have appeared in certain elements of the media, chiefly those controlled by Independent News and Media, asserting that I had travelled to Colombia using false travel documents.

When and where I felt it appropriate I have issued forthright denials of these false and malicious statements.

The campaign of vilification descended to a more vicious level since my appointment as Executive Director of the Centre for Public Inquiry.

The Centre for Public Inquiry has been targeted by certain elements in Irish Society who are hostile to a body established to carry out independent scrutiny.

The Centre has produced two well received reports on Trim Castle and the Corrib Gas controversy.

On November 26th and 27th, in what was patently a considered and timed response to the publication of the Report on the Corrib Gas controversy from those seeking to protect vested interests, the same false allegations were again published by Independent Newspapers concerning me. Further, the Minister for Justice, Mr. Michael McDowell, participated in the attacks and has now repeated the allegations under Dáil privilege.

The Minister has purported to usurp the functions of an Garda Síochána and the Director of Public Prosecutions and seeks to destroy my reputation by publicly making charges of a criminal nature against me.

The Minister has sought to interfere with, if not jeopardise my employment as Executive Director of the Centre for Public Inquiry. By disclosing confidential information from Garda files to a member of the board of Atlantic Philanthropies, which funds the CPI, which is clearly insufficient to support a prosecution against me, he has intended to damage my reputation and my career as an investigative journalist.

Furthermore, confidential documents from a Garda investigation file were copied to Independent Newspapers to the damage of a citizen, who is entitled to the presumption of his innocence and to the protection of his good name.

The Minister has done a grave injustice and damage to me. He has joined what has become a veritable witch hunt against me. He has also done incalculable damage to the integrity of his own office.

It is patent to me however that the real target of the venom and mendacity which has been visited upon me is the Centre for Public Inquiry.

While it is difficult for me as one citizen of a State to defend myself when my character is attacked by a Minister of Government and a powerful newspaper group I will always defend my integrity.

Frank Connolly
Executive Director of the Centre for Public Inquiry

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22/11/05

The Great Corrib Gas Controversy

A report published on Tuesday 22nd of November on the development of the Corrib gas project, has revealed that the disputed pipeline carries a real and substantial risk of failure because of its potential to operate at extremely high pressures. The likelihood of system failure is increased also because of the unknown gas compositions it is required to carry, and the probability of internal corrosion. As a result of these findings the report concludes that the current proposed route is unacceptable because of its close proximity to people and dwellings.  The report was produced by the Centre for Public Inquiry - Fiosrú an Phobail - established in February this year.

"This report by the Centre for Public Inquiry into the Corrib gas controversy raises serious issues of public importance. The analysis, by Richard Kuprewicz, of the proposed onshore pipeline and plant will also require detailed examination by all of the parties involved" said Frank Connolly, Executive Director of the Centre for Public Inquiry.

Read Press Release here >>
Read Media Coverage here >>

22/11/05

The Proposed Corrib Onshore System - An Independent Analysis

Mr Kuprewicz is highly critical of the Quantified (Quantitative) Risk Assessment (QRA) process used by the government to assess the proposed Corrib project. "The Quantified Risk Assessment is inappropriate for this highly unique, first of its kind, pipeline as there is no historical data that can be used to evaluate this proposed system" he said.

Read Press Release here >>
Read Media Coverage here >>

27/09/05

Trim Castle, A Monument to Bad Planning?

EU investigation into hotel development at historic Trim Castle.

The first report by the Centre for Public Inquiry concerns the decision by the local authority in County Meath to permit the construction of a four storey hotel beside Trim Castle, one of Ireland's most important national monuments. The report is the result of complaints to this office by elected representatives in County Meath and concerned citizens including members of the heritage protection organisation, An Taisce. The investigation raises several issues of significant public concern which are outlined in detail in the following pages. The report has been made available to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dick Roche, members of the Oireachtas and of the relevant local authorities as well as to a large number of interested parties including the people of Trim.

The first report by the Centre for Public Inquiry concerns the decision by the local authority in County Meath to permit the construction of a four storey hotel beside Trim Castle, one of Ireland's most important national monuments. The report is the result of complaints to this office by elected representatives in County Meath and concerned citizens including members of the heritage protection organisation, An Taisce. The investigation raises several issues of significant public concern which are outlined in detail in the following pages. The report has been made available to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dick Roche, members of the Oireachtas and of the relevant local authorities as well as to a large number of interested parties including the people of Trim.

Read Press Release here >>
Read Media Coverage here >>