The sports minister has published the terms of reference for an investigation into the handling of Ireland's Olympic tickets.

Former High Court judge Carroll Moran will be asked firstly to establish the policy and practice through which the IOC assigns tickets to national committees, and then how those commitetes pass them on.

He'll also look into the OCI's policies for assigning tickets, and how they were applied for the last three summer and winter Olympics - going back further if he deems necessary.

Minister Shane Ross also wants him to look into corporate governance at the Olympic Council of Ireland.

The judge will have twelve weeks initially to investigate, but can be given further time afterwards if deemed necessary.

He will also have the power to recommend that a full statutory inquiry, with powers of compellibility, be established if it is necessary to investigate the issues concerned.

Some opposition politicians had called for a full statutory inquiry be held immediately - but Minister Ross insists a non-statutory inquiry is the right way to begin.

He also insists he has no concerns that the OCI might limit its co-operation with Justice Moran:

The minister also admitted to having concerns about the public nature of the allegations being brought against OCI president Pat Hickey, and the circumstances of his arrest.

Hickey's arrest at a Rio hotel last week was filmed by the media and has been seen worldwide since.

However he said he would leave it up to the Department of Foreign Affairs to express these reservations.

Junior sports minister Patrick O'Donovan meanwhile refused to directly address questions about the role of FAI chief executive John Delaney, who is also an OCI vice-president.

Instead Minister O'Donovan commented that he hoped all interested parties would co-operate fully with Justice Moran's investigations: