Harney’s concern at ‘large bill’

TÁNAISTE Mary Harney last night described as “extraordinary and excessive” the fees paid to outside consultants on the botched Payroll, Personnel and Related Services project.

Speaking in the Dáil last night, she echoed the Taoiseach’s earlier climbdown earlier in the day when he conceded the amount paid to consultants Deloitte and Touche (estimated at €40-€50 million) was excessive.

Expressing her concern at the “very large bill”, the Tánaiste went on to acknowledge that hiring consultants in recent years had become the “norm.”