Labour slams decision to scrap inspectors

COSTLY tribunals of inquiry are the only way important matters of public interest can be publicly investigated because the Government has abandoned the only viable alternative, Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte has warned.

Parliamentary inspectors were to be given wide-ranging powers to investigate matters of public importance for Dáil committees. However legislation to put the new inspectors on a statutory footing was ditched by Finance Minister Charlie McCreevey late last week.

The decision to scrap the draft legislation and abandon plans for parliamentary inspectors was last night criticised by Deputy Rabbitte who called the move a broken promise which showed the Government's fear of parliamentary reform.