Cianan Brennan: Not much accountability at Oireachtas Finance Committee

Michael McGrath contrives to defend the indefensible while we are told new Garda HQ is not too small, yet the opposite is the case, says Cianan Brennan

There are myriad problems with the move of An Garda Siochana's headquarters in Harcourt Square (pictured) to Military Road. Photo: Moya Nolan

There were two hearings of the Oireachtas Finance Committee last Wednesday. The first you may have heard about. It saw a very well-briefed Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath deal with the fall-out regarding the salary of Health supremo Robert Watt.

The noise around that particular saga reached fever pitch recently as it emerged that Mr Watt has benefited from not one, but two, additional pay rises surplus to his €81,000 raise in the past four months.