Larkin appointment - Government should be ashamed

IT pays to have a friend in high places, especially if it happens to be Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

That’s the only plausible explanation for the perplexing appointment of Mr Ahern’s former partner Celia Larkin to the interim board of the new and powerful National Consumer Agency.

Political cronyism springs to mind. But no doubt her ownership of two beauty salons in Dublin will be trotted out to justify the appointment.