Mahon Tribunal legal bill at €13.4m and rising

THE taxpayer bill for witnesses and their legal costs at the Mahon Tribunal continues to mount – a year and a half after the planning corruption inquiry stopped hearing evidence.

Third-party claims for the tribunal have risen to €13.4 million, with a string of companies, individuals, political parties and politicians demanding their costs.

But the final bill for claims for witnesses and their lawyers at the 13-year-old inquiry is expected to rise to more than €100m for third-party bills when final costs are decided, says the Comptroller & Auditor General.