Spotlight turns on Hogan after five-hour probe

The questions now remaining over the spending of €85m on private consultants to set up Irish Water, is how much the Government knew about it and why they failed to provide answers to questions raised by TDs in the Dáil.

The company’s top bosses, who appeared before the Oireachtas environment committee yesterday, put the ball firmly back in the court of Environment Minister Phil Hogan and the Cabinet, who will come under pressure over the issue on the first day back of the Dáil.

Irish Water claims it has been open and transparent by appearing before the committee yesterday, and publishing a breakdown of the spending on consultancy — the source of the entire controversy — in advance of the meeting.