The High Court has decided that the Ansbacher report should be published in full. The President of the High Court, Mr Justice Joseph Finnegan, ruled against arguments made by lawyers representing a large number of unidentified people who are named in the report, and do not wish their identities to become known.
Mr Justice Finnegan received the report two weeks ago and has sole discretion in deciding if the report should be published. He also today heard arguments for the publication of the report in full .
The Report into the Affairs of Ansbacher Cayman Ltd contains the names of 200 individuals and companies and has taken nearly three years to complete. Those named are reported to include some very senior business figures in Ireland from the 1970s to the early 1990s.
Mr Justice Finnegan had already made two copies of the report available: to the Tánaiste Mary Harney, who established the inquiry, and the Director of Corporate Enforcement. Both are known to favour publication in full.
Today's decision has been widely welcomed.
There is speculation that lawyers for some of those named may seek to launch legal challenges to protect their clients' interests, which may result in delaying the report's publication.
