The government has confirmed the Terms of Reference for the inquiry into the Garda Tapes.
The inquiry by Supreme Court judge Nial Fennelly will include a specific investigation into the taping of conversations surrounding the death of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, and to determine whether Gardaí acted unlawfully or inappropriately in investigating her murder.
The inquiry will also investigate the level of knowledge of the taping among the Gardaí, the Minister for Justice, the Department of Justice, the Attorney General, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Data Protection Commission and the Garda Ombudsman.
It will also seek to investigate how - if at all - information gleaned from tape recordings was used by members of the Gardaí and the DPP in securing prosecutions.
Justice Fennelly's inquiry will also include an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the resignation of the Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan two weeks ago.
It will also investigate the handling of Mr Callinan's letter to the Department of Justice on the subject of the Garda Tapes, which was not supplied to the Minister for Justice for over a fortnight.
