Noonan seeks to block PAC criticisms

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has been accused of attempting to “influence or muzzle” a Public Accounts Committee investigation into the Project Eagle controversy after demanding negative findings against him are removed.

The Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee discussed the issue last night as Taoiseach Enda Kenny was separately unable to explain why a promised €10m in funds for a commission of inquiry into the scandal is not in his department’s revised budget.

In recent days, leaked copies of the PAC’s draft report into the Project Eagle controversy revealed a series of damning findings against Mr Noonan, the Department of Finance and Nama.