Allen rewarded with chair of Public Accounts Committee

THE long-awaited announcement of the chairs of Oireachtas committees yesterday produced a surprise elevation for Cork North Central TD Bernard Allen.

The Fine Gael deputy was named by his party leader as the new chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, the watchdog of public finances that is acknowledged as the most powerful and high-profile of all the 22 committees.

Mr Allen was not named on the Fine Gael front bench this autumn. He said, though disappointed, Enda Kenny had promised him a high-profile position. He succeeds former Fine Gael leader Michael Noonan as the head of the PAC.