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Paschal Donohoe defends top civil servant over ‘smoking gun’ email controversy

Minister Paschal Donohoe has defended the Secretary General of his department. Photo: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie.

Hugh O'Connell

PUBLIC Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe has defended his most senior civil servant, insisting he did not attempt to mislead politicians when he told them he did not see a crucial email warning of a crisis with the health service’s budget.

Mr Donohoe claimed Department of Public Expenditure secretary general David Moloney receives “vast amounts” of correspondence in the run-up to the Budget and “would never make any attempt to mislead anybody”.