TDs warn of possible €1bn black hole in tribunal costs

THERE could be a “€1 billion black hole” in Government spending plans because ministers are not keeping track of how much the Mahon Tribunal will cost, TDs warned last night.

Chairman of the Dáil’s influential Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Michael Noonan expressed surprise that the Environment Department — which has responsibility for the planning payments inquiry — had no contingency accounts to measure the final bill to taxpayers.

“The amounts of money are so large there is a fairly big black hole in the financial statements of the Department of Environment if there is €1bn out there not mentioned in accounts at all,” he said.