Public offices body to discuss O'Keeffe today

The Public Offices Commission will today decide whether to investigate an alleged breach by Minister of State Mr Ned O'Keeffe…

The Public Offices Commission will today decide whether to investigate an alleged breach by Minister of State Mr Ned O'Keeffe of the Ethics in Public Office Act.

This follows reports that bonemeal (legally and under licence) was being fed to pigs produced on Mr O'Keeffe's family farm.

Opposition parties accuse Mr O'Keeffe of breaching the Ethics in Public Office Act by not declaring his interest in a pig farm and that his family farm breached a voluntary quality assurance scheme by feeding pigs bonemeal.

A spokesman for the Public Offices Commission told ireland.comthe allegations against Mr O'Keefe were due to be discussed at a meeting later today.

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He said the commission would not make a statement on the matter until next week.

The Taoiseach Mr Ahern has stated recently the position of Ministers of State is "under review".

Eoin Burke-Kennedy

Eoin Burke-Kennedy

Eoin Burke-Kennedy is Economics Correspondent of The Irish Times