New privately funded watchdog to investigate corruption

A new privately-funded watchdog has been set up to investigate corruption in Irish political, public and corporate life.

The Centre for Public Inquiry will look into potential scandals that are brought to its attention by whistleblowers or concerned individuals.

It will be chaired by Justice Fergus Flood, the former chairman of the Planning Tribunal, and will employ a team of investigative journalists and researchers.

Journalist Frank Connolly has been appointed its executive director.

"It's an investigative journalist project, it's independent and it is being funded by Atlantic Philanthropies, which is an international foundation which has put something in the order of €600m in the university sector in Ireland over the past decade or more.

"They have given us the funding for the first five years."