Taxpayer set to pay costs of tribunal obstructors

DISGRACED former Fianna Fáil minister Ray Burke and several leading businessmen who obstructed the Flood Tribunal may have their multi-million euro legal fees paid by the taxpayer.

Planning tribunal chairman Justice Feargus Flood's request to step down will make it extremely difficult to force unco-operative witnesses to pay their legal fees or indeed those of the tribunal.

The Government has written to Justice Flood seeking clarification on his request to resign as chairman before the issue of costs is decided.