FRENCH AUTHORITIES ARE set to return to Cork to question witnesses in the case of murdered French filmmaker Sophie Toscan Du Plantier.

It is understood that a cooperation agreement between the French police and the Department of Justice had been suspended while suspect Ian Bailey took a case for wrongful arrest against the Irish State.

Now that the case has been concluded the agreement has been put back in place and the French authorities are expected to visit the Cork area in the coming months.

It is being reported in The Sunday Independent today that around 30 witnesses could be set to be questioned again.

In a statement today, the Department of Justice has said, “The provision of assistance in relation to a criminal investigation is a confidential matter and it is not open to the department to make any comment.

Ireland remains fully committed to meeting its international obligations in relation to mutual assistance.

In May of this year Ian Bailey was ordered to pay a legal bill of between €2 million and €5 million.

Read: Counting the cost: Ian Bailey ordered to pay up to €5 million for legal action

Also: Who foots the bill for the Ian Bailey case? We won’t find out for a month