So what do you really believe Mr McDowell?

TÁNAISTE Michael McDowell gave his full support to doubling the salaries of lawyers working for the Planning Tribunal while he served as Attorney General in 1999, it has emerged.

Mr McDowell’s stance in favour of granting large pay rises for legal professionals contrasts sharply with his recent criticism of the excessive cost of the long-running inquiry into allegations of politicians receiving bribes for planning favours.

Documents obtained by the Irish Examiner reveal that both Mr McDowell and Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern urged the Department of Finance to sanction increases in the daily rate paid to the inquiry’s solicitors from £400 (€508) to £800 (€1,016) in 1999 — a 100% increase.