HSE and gardaí in stand-off with Dáil committee

The HSE and gardaí are at the centre of an escalating stand-off with a Dáil committee after failing to hand over key documents into the Grace foster abuse and Stepaside garda station controversies.

Informed sources said both public service bodies ignored the deadline imposed by the cross-party public accounts committee to release the files by last night, putting them on a collision course with TDs at their planned meeting next Thursday.

At its first meeting of the new Dáil term last week, the PAC heavily criticised HSE director general Tony O’Brien and acting garda commissioner Donal Ó Cualáin for what they said were attempts to “weasel out” of answering key questions over the issues.