Expansion to mean 22 committees in Dáil

THE political establishment remains one of the only great institutions in Irish society that remains completely insulated from the cold winds of economic change, it emerged yesterday.

The Government yesterday tabled a motion that will lead to a staggering 22 committees being established in this current Dáil.

A week after Tánaiste Brian Cowen announced a “tight” economic situation next year in his Pre-Budget analysis, Government chief whip Tom Kitt revealed yesterday that the Finance Minister had sanctioned the recruitment of an additional 20 research staff for the expanded committee systems.