€700,000 discrepancy remains in Tribunal number crunch

THE huge €700 million discrepancy between Tánaiste Michael McDowell and Judge Alan Mahon over the final costs of the Planning Tribunal is not easy to explain.

When Mr McDowell first highlighted the issue on Wednesday, he said the eventual costs of the tribunal could be in the region of €1 billion.

That was met by what amounted to a sharp riposte from Judge Mahon, on Thursday, when he took the unusual step of writing to all party leaders through the Clerk of the Dáil.