A MULTI-NATIONAL consultancy firm awarded government contracts worth millions of euro yesterday described as an “embarrassment” delays in filing its own accounts because of internal system failures.

A GOVERNMENT scheme to increase the number of people entitled to old-age pensions ended up costing 15 times more than estimated, it emerged yesterday.

PRISON service bosses “took their eyes off the ball” as more than half a million euro was wasted on a computer system that could not do its job, TDs heard yesterday.

FIXED-PRICE contracts for all future transport projects will deliver big savings for the taxpayer and ensure the risk of overruns falls on the contractor, Transport Minister Martin Cullen said yesterday.

Mary Dundon, Political Reporter

BURGERS and chips for stakeouts, pay-offs for snitches and wages for our man in Moscow are just a few of the potential destinations of taxpayers’ money allocated to the Secret Service.

THE cost of compensating victims of abuse in religious institutions would have been far higher than the present estimate of €650 million if the cases had been allowed to go to court, a TD said yesterday.

HANOVER will always be remembered with fondness by Irish people as the venue for Ronnie Whelan’s remarkable volleyed goal against Russia in Euro 88.

The Government’s spending watchdog has criticised the Department of Education’s handling of a school building project completed under a public-private partnership.

UP to 1,000 offenders who should be doing community service are in prison because the Probation and Welfare service is under resourced, a TD claimed yesterday.

THE key official who accompanied former Minister for Education Michael Woods in the 128 million abuse compensation talks with the religious orders will be quizzed by a high powered watchdog today.

POLITICAL colleagues and friends gathered in Terenure last night to pay respects to Jim Mitchell, who passed away on Monday morning.