Row over Mahon Tribunal cost estimates continues

The row over Mahon Tribunal is rumbling on with different parties unable to agree on the projected costs.

The Minister for Justice Michael McDowell said earlier in the week that he expected to total costs to be over €1bn and a spokesman has since said that the Tánaiste is "100% happy" to stand by his €1bn estimate.

The Chairman of the tribunal, Judge Alan Mahon, has countered this by stating that the costs of his inquiry are expected to be in the region of €300m, and that there is a possibility they could be considerably less.

He also said in a letter to the government that he hoped it would complete its work in 2008.

However, the Secretary General of the Department of Finance said he isn't aware of any system whereby third party costs of tribunals can be tracked.