On 20 March 2024 the NICC received a letter from the solicitors assisting the Bell Inquiry to advise that Mr Adam Bell SC had formed the view that it is in the public interest for the inquiry to be held primarily in public.
Mr Bell requested a two-month extension to the reporting date.
It was anticipated the inquiry would be held privately; however, Mr Bell has a discretion to conduct the inquiry in the manner he sees fit.
The NICC has agreed to Mr Bell’s request to extend the inquiry to accommodate the public hearings, with the final report now due on 31 July 2024.
The hearings will begin on 15 April 2024 and are expected to run for around three weeks.
Mr Weeks’ continued managership is essential to enable the casino to remain operational while the inquiry is conducted, and Mr Bell’s report delivered.
Accordingly, the NICC intends to extend Mr Weeks’ appointment to 30 September 2024 to allow the extra time needed to complete the inquiry and for the NICC to consider Mr Bell’s report.
The NICC will host the live hearings on its website and make transcripts available each day.
The inquiry is not accepting public submissions at this time. Visit the webpage for updates and information.