GARDAÍ and the Law Society are investigating a prominent Limerick solicitor for allegedly passing on inappropriate information to a client involved in crime.

Gardaí have sent a file to the DPP in relation to the solicitor, who is accused of passing on details of jurors' names and addresses to a client involved in crime, and the Law Society is separately investigating the allegation.

The DPP recommended in the past few weeks that no charges be brought against the solicitor. However, the Law Society has now contacted gardaí about the case and, depending on the outcome of its probe, may ask the gardaí to re-examine it.

If the solicitor is found guilty of professional misconduct, he can be struck off the roll of solicitors by the Law Society.

Limerick state solicitor Michael Murray passed information about the solicitor's alleged misconduct on request from the Law Society.

"The specifics of his complaint are being investigated. Murray has named one solicitor and this solicitor is now under investigation," the Law Society's director general, Ken Murphy, told the Sunday Tribune.

"We will act appropriately depending on the outcome of our investigation. The society is also seeking confirmation of whether or not what Murray has complained about is the subject of a garda investigation. We must give due process to this investigation. The solicitor will be given due response. We do not want in any way to pre-judge the complaint."

A senior garda source confirmed an investigation was launched into allegations that the solicitor passed on the names and addresses of jurors to a client involved in crime for the purpose of attempted intimidation. While the DPP has recommended that no charges be brought, the investigation remains open.

"It is a very serious allegation and would be very difficult to prove in criminal terms. The garda investigation remains open. The Law Society's investigation is on-going," said one senior source.

The Department of Justice confirmed that the names and addresses of jurors are available to legal representatives of accused persons as they "require them to deal with the challenges that are accorded the accused by right".

In the first week in July, the Law Society wrote to Limerick's state solicitor asking for information about the alleged misconduct by the solicitor concerned.

The society took this action after Murray referred to an unnamed solicitor in Limerick passing on inappropriate information when speaking on The Week in Politics on RTÉ about the provision in the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act for the holding of detention hearings in secret.

Murray replied to the Law Society's correspondence within a week and provided full details of the solicitor's alleged misconduct. The solicitor did not return repeated calls from the Sunday Tribune for comment.