The Dail’s Public Accounts Committee is to scrutinise public service allowances.
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/> Its to seek information from all public bodies on the level of allowances paid to staff and will meet with the Minister for Public Expenditure early next month.

It follows a decision by Government earlier this week to cut just one of the 800 allowances paid to existing public servants.

PAC Chairman John McGuinness says the committees examination will look at the process involved in the review of allowances carried out this year.

/> The Tánaiste is insisting the Government’s end of year economic growth targets remain on track.
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/> New figures from the Central Statistics Office today show that there was no growth recorded during the second quarter of the year.

Eamon Gilmore admits the Government would like to see the economy growing at a quicker pace to address the jobs crisis.

However despite today’s CSO report – he says the projected growth of zero-point-seven per cent this year is still achievable:

/> A series of searches have been carried out and a number of people arrested by Gardai investigating organised crime.
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/> Operation Wireless has also seen five people detained on foot of European arrest warrants.

NewsTalk’s Anna Kavanagh reports:

/> Former businessman Breifni O’Brien has been released on bail, after appearing in court charged with operating an €11million investment fraud.
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/> The 51-year-old – with an address at Kilmore Close in Monkstown, Dublin is facing 38 counts of theft and deception.

He’s accused of stealing millions of euro from five investors between 2006 and 2008.

Breifni O’Brien’s mother, Mary, supplied a bail bond of 10-thousand euro, and the businessman will appear again in court in November.

Apple is being asked to urgently correct a listing on its new “maps” application which incorrectly designates a large farm at Airfield in Dundrum as an airport.

Alan Shatter believes it’s dangerously misleading and is worried that pilots unfamiliar with Dublin may attempt to land there in an emergency.

Minister Shatter wants the makers of the iPhone to urgently correct the Airfield image and is helpfully suggesting a variety of alternatives such as a cow, a goat or sheep.