A team of French investigators will travel to Ireland next month to interview over 30 witnesses as part of their inquiry into the murder 15 years ago of French film producer Sophie Toscan du Plantier.
Gardaí are providing assistance to the French investigators by doing some of the groundwork before the team arrives in September.
They have approached the witnesses with a majority saying they are willing to speak to investigators although they are under no compulsion to do so.
The team will carry out most of its work in Schull in west Cork but will also travel to other parts of the country to speak to some witnesses who have left the area.
It is expected their investigations will take about a week and that they will arrive early to mid-September.
Witnesses will be interviewed with an interpreter and a garda present.
Gardaí say their investigation into Ms Toscan du Plantier’s death is ongoing and that includes assistance for the French authorities in their investigation.
The badly beaten body of the 39-year-old mother of one was discovered at the entrance to her holiday home outside Schull on the morning of 23 December 1996.
No-one has been charged with her murder.
