McDowell move hits independent watchdog

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell has helped torpedo an independent watchdog set up to scrutinise the activities of politicians and big business.

Atlantic Philanthropies yesterday announced it would no longer fund the Centre for Public Inquiry (CPI), which was established in February to investigate “matters of public importance in Irish political, public and corporate life”.

The decision by the Atlantic board came after a meeting between its founder, Irish-American billionaire Chuck Feeney, and Mr McDowell several weeks ago.