Bitter war of words erupts over €40,000 payroll system knees-up

THE row over whether taxpayers footed the €40,000 bill for a party to celebrate the “success” of the health service’s chaotic payroll system turned increasingly bitter last night.

Fianna Fáil deputy chief whip Billy Kelleher accused Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny of “misleading” the country over the matter.

Mr Kelleher insisted civil servants had attended a regular Christmas party in Sligo last December not linked to the PPARS computer system.

But Fine Gael hit back saying the bash was connected to a meeting regarding the disastrous €150 million PPARS system earlier in the day, for which €40,000 in travel and subsistence expenses had been claimed.

Mr Kelleher said: “There was no knees-up at tax-payers’ expense as Mr Kenny claimed. That is factually incorrect.

“There was a Christmas party where guests paid for their own food and drink, that is very different. Mr Kenny’s claims are very misleading.

“There is an important principle at stake here. While I would not play down the seriousness of the PPARS matter, it must not be used as an opportunity for Enda Kenny to make unsubstantiated claims,” Mr Kelleher said.

Fine Gael health spokesman Liam Twomey insisted the two Sligo events were linked.

“There were two functions held in Sligo on December 16, one at lunchtime and one at night and €40,000 in travel and subsistence was claimed. We never said guests did not pay for their own food and drink,” the Fine Gael TD said.