McGuinness public service attack ‘personal’

THE Government has insisted that a junior minister who launched a stinging attack on the public service sector was speaking in a personal capacity.

But the attack, coming ahead of a report reviewing aspects of the public service, will harden fears that the Government intends making significant job cuts in the service.

In a weekend speech, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise John McGuinness suggested millions of euro of taxpayers’ money would be wasted if the public service was not regularly and comprehensively audited.