Brussels meeting sees Hogan miss ministers’ autopsy of household tax

The absence of Phil Hogan, the environment minister, from the cabinet’s autopsy of the rollout of the household charge raised eyebrows.

Backbench government TDs expressed surprised that the minister was not present so soon after the tax was introduced.

The Government denied that Mr Hogan had been sent to Brussels so colleagues could have a more frank discussion about the boycott of the levy.