Sorry the hardest word at race meet

UNDER-FIRE Ceann Comhairle John O’Donoghue has expressed his “sincere regret” but failed to say sorry for the lavish €550,000 expenses bill he ran up during his five years as arts, sports and tourism minister.

In his first public comments on the controversy surrounding the use of taxpayers’ money on VIP travel arrangements and luxury hotels, Mr O’Donoghue gave a qualified apology, saying: “In so far as one regrets something, I think that is an apology.”

Speaking at the Listowel Races yesterday, the Fianna Fáil TD for Kerry South said the expenses were in accordance with Department of Finance guidelines and audited independently.