Report: Cabinet ignored stern spending warnings

BERTIE AHERN’S coalition governments ignored the Department of Finance’s pleas for restraint in order to fulfil election promises and deliver politically popular policies, a damning report has suggested.

Canadian public service expert Rob Wright said finance ministers Charlie McCreevy and Brian Cowen brought the department’s recommendations to Cabinet, but each year these went unheeded.

Mr Wright’s independent review panel report on Strengthening the Capacity of the Department of Finance was finally published by Minister Brian Lenihan yesterday.