Harney could be undone by $410 bill

BRIAN COWEN could be forgiven for wondering if luck has completely deserted him.

The Taoiseach inherited a crumbling economy, suffered a calamitous defeat in the Lisbon treaty referendum, and oversaw a budget that led to defections from his own party and crippled his government’s authority.

Finally, yesterday, he had some good news to impart: the Government was to set about transforming the public service, improving it for citizens.