O’Dowd: Tierney signed off on €50 million fees

Junior Minister Fergus O’Dowd says that the CEO of Irish Water, John Tierney, will have to have signed off on the €50 million consultancy fees that have caused a public outcry this week when the figures were revealed.

Speaking to the Democrat, the Louth deputy said that the €50 million spent on consultants had come as a suprise to him and that he had no prior knowledge that such a fee would be spent.

On Tuesday Tierney faced Oireachtas questions on the matter when he was grilled by all parties and by members of the Seanad in attendance.

Asked whether or not Tierney would have signed off the €50million, Minister O’Dowd said: “Yes. He will have to have done so.”

“We understood that Bord Gais were going to have the skills in place and the infrastructure knowledge for this project.

“I didn’t personally know about this, but the people that do will be at the committee and they will be giving an explanation.

“I’m confident the full detail will be given.

“Irish Water have to account for the all the money they have spent, so he will have to sign off on that.

“My role in this relates to the legislation and not the day-to-day working of the Irish Water.

“I also want to hear the explanation of how this fee was arrived at.”

On RTE’S This Week Minister O’Dowd had said everyone was aware that consultancies would have to be undertaken.