Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

LESS THAN half of payments by the Departments of Justice and the Taoiseach to suppliers were made within 15 days of invoicing, despite the Government’s pledge to meet this improved payment deadline.

Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show more than 54 per cent of payments by the Department of Justice were made after the new target date had passed.