LABOUR leader Eamon Gilmore has expressed "disappointment" that there is still no date for resumed hearings of the Moriarty tribunal or for the publication of its final report.

The Moriarty tribunal was established 13 years ago last week and Gilmore said that when the motion establishing the tribunal was passed by the Dáil in September 1997, "nobody could have envisaged it would still be underway 13 years later, with no final date set for its conclusion".

He said he shared "the concerns of so many people at the length of time it has taken and the costs that have accrued through legal fees".

"I raised the matter in the Dáil on 11 May and expressed my view that the public interest would best be served by ensuring the tribunal was brought to a conclusion as speedily and economically as possible, and a final report published at the earliest possible date".

Gilmore said that "more than four months on" it was "disappointing that we still have no date for resumed hearings, for the appearance of the outstanding key witness [Danish telecoms consultant] Mr [Michael] Andersen, or for the final publication of the report".

Though the Labour leader's comments are measured, privately TDs across all parties are frustrated at the cost and duration of the tribunal. The tribunal could run until 2012 and is likely to cost in the region of €200m.

The party leaders wrote to Moriarty earlier this year expressing anxiety that "the tribunal's work would be completed as soon as possible consistent with its mandate".

However, it now seems that Andersen may not appear as a witness until early November and his evidence – expected to be sharply critical of the tribunal – is likely to prompt the recall of other witnesses, particularly the officials from the Department of Communications.