The Irish government "inquiry into the Rio Olympics ticket-touting controversy won't be completed until the end of March, five months later than planned," according to Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Shane Ross -- who also confirmed he has had "no contact" with former High Court Justice Carroll Moran in the interim, according to Ian O'Riordan of the IRISH TIMES. However, Ross declined to comment on any pending criminal charges against former Olympic Council of Ireland President Pat Hickey, who was released on bail last month. Hickey has yet to be given a court date which would necessitate his return to Brazil, where he is still due to face a range of ticket-touting charges including "ambush marketing, theft, tax evasion, money-laundering and criminal association." The government's report following a "non-statutory state inquiry into the ticketing controversy" was originally expected by last November. It was then expected an interim report would be made in December, but that deadline too has since passed (IRISH TIMES, 1/26).
