Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has been accused of trying to “hide” a €24m payment from the State to Aer Lingus and Ryanair as part of a previously undisclosed legal settlement.

The country’s highest-paid public servants, some earning €200,000 to €350,000, are underpaid by up to 30% and should no longer be subject to pay caps, according to a Department of Public Expenditure report.

The funds will be distributed to assist libraries in providing support to communities at risk of being socially excluded, marginalised or disadvantaged.

Hospitals are by far the most expensive part of our health system, soaking up more than a third of the €21.1bn expenditure on health in 2017, new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show.

Isn't the Fiscal Advisory Council a disgrace?

Directly elected mayors in Cork, Limerick and Waterford will give the cities extra clout when it comes to securing government funding, according to the Taoiseach.

Cabinet ministers and the Attorney General privately expressed concerns that €130,000-a-year directly elected mayors in Cork, Limerick, and Waterford could become too powerful, a confidential memo reveals.

THIS Government preaches fiscal responsibility from a high pulpit — but then it can be capable of collapsing like a cheap suit when demands for extra cash are put its way. We saw it this week, somewhat bizarrely, with a decision taken on vitamins.

Library users will no longer be required to pay fines on overdue books.

An extra €2m in funding has been allocated to the regeneration of Dublin’s north east inner city from the Department of Rural and Community Development.

The Irish secret service is not pumping more money into a ‘shaken-not-stirred, martini-swigging lifestyle’, even though its budget will be raised by 25% next year.

If in doubt about wasteful spending in welfare, the safe thing is to label it fraud, writes Columnist of the Year Michael Clifford.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has suggested the Cork-Limerick motorway could be built as long as tolls are included.

The Government is examining ways of fast-tracking finance for the stalled Cork-Limerick motorway, estimated to cost up to €1bn.

The Department of Finance and agencies under its remit spent around €25.75m on legal fees last year.

The Government could be asked to cough up another €10m in State funding to save the stalled Cork event centre project from collapse.

The Government is set to fast-track almost €3bn worth of airport, port, Luas, and road capital projects and seek extra EU funding within months in a bid to entice companies to re-locate to Ireland after Brexit.

A luxury government jet sold to a US firm two years ago for less than €420,000 is now insured for $5m (€4.7m) and has recently flown from New York to Paris and Barbados.

Fine Gael’s general secretary has warned TDs and senators to “get your act together” and not repeat the “embarrassing” election expenses mistakes which saw deputy leader James Reilly referred to gardaí by the State watchdog.

Department of Defence officials will today defend the controversial sale of the Government jet for less than half its price, claiming that serious market problems meant the low cost was the only option available.

REMEMBER that crowd with the new broom and how they promised sweeping changes? It’s beginning to look like they could teach the old crowd how to suck eggs.

THE image of Frank Flannery stalking the corridors of Leinster House wandering in and out of ministers’ offices, having a word in their ear, is one that in many ways defines the problem of lobbying in Irish society.

Political lobbying and funding political parties are two sides of the same coin. They are about trying to ensure that a certain view shapes Government decisions and legislation.

The Labour Party has criticised the Government for spending more than €2.5m on entertainment at a time of cutbacks in the areas of health and social welfare.

The Government spent more than €2.5m on entertainment last year, according to reports in this morning’s newspapers.