At its meeting today, the Government agreed on the terms of reference for the Commission of Investigation to be conducted by Mr Justice Fennelly.

The main issues to be investigated are:

– the operation of telephone recording systems, to record calls other than 999 calls to the Emergency Call Answering Service, at a large number of Garda Stations over many years,

– the specific implications of the taping related to the Garda investigation into the death of Ms Sophie Toscan Du Plantier in County Cork in December 1996, and related matters,

– how these matters were dealt with by the responsible authorities,

– the sequence of events leading up to the retirement of the former Garda Commissioner in March 2014.

The full terms of reference are outlined here: Fennelly Commission.