Most county and city managers have told the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, that there is no problem in their areas with "double-jobbing" by local authority officials.
But the Minister will seek further information from some managers on the incomplete reports they submitted this week in compliance with a circular from his Department seeking assurances on the issue.
Having read all 34 reports on Wednesday night, the Minister told The Irish Times that he will decide what action to take over the next few days. However, he intends to publish all the reports early next week, in the public interest.
Asked if he was satisfied with the reports, some of which are only one page long, he said: "Short of going down and doing an Inspector Clouseau on it, I have to accept what the managers are telling me. I can't second-guess them."
The report by the Kerry county manager, Mr Martin Nolan, was the most detailed. It resulted in the suspension for a week of one senior engineer, and the issuing of warning notices to 24 staff members. Other managers simply did what they were asked to do by the Department's January 4th circular - confirm that no member of their staff was engaged in "incompatible" private work.
"In some cases, the reports reveal varying degrees of this kind of activity, exposed either on foot of this investigation or on an ongoing basis by managers over the past few years, and what action was taken," Mr Dempsey said.
"In all cases, the managers dealt with these matters through disciplinary procedures up to and including suspension.
"In some cases, officials resigned or took career breaks," he told Mr Pat Rabbitte TD (Labour) in reply to a Dail question.
He said the investigation was necessary "not only to ensure that any malpractice was unearthed and stamped out, but also to protect the reputation of the very many local authority officials who continue to discharge their duties with absolute integrity".
At least two or three of the reports from managers are incomplete because unions representing staff in their areas instructed officials not to fill in forms asking them if they were complying with the regulations against "double-jobbing".
It is understood that a number of officials defied this instruction and decided to complete the forms, which asked them if they were aware of the 1984 Local Government Regulations prohibiting private work and if they were in compliance with them.
