The state has required engineers working on the mica scheme to submit draft reports and receive guidance from the Housing Agency before final reports are accepted. These reports have been crucial in affected homeowners being awarded grants they maintain are inadequate.

Engineers say the state’s standard for assessing mica redress grants – which is being used to downgrade affected homeowners to cheaper options – isn’t appropriate and isn’t grounded in science.

Limerick mayor John Moran gets more than €25,000 a month in rent from his transatlantic property portfolio.

An outsourcing company paid at least €210 million in state contracts since 2012 is charging the HSE almost €30 an hour per worker for a major contract – while these workers are paid the minimum wage, less than half that.

An army captain court-martialled for illegal smuggling has been promoted to the rank of commandant.