There’s a big fuss going on about the cost of a tribunal.

Now I don’t really follow these things, but from what I can gather, the judge who is running the tribunal says the cost will be no more than €300 million [which is quite a lot].

But the minister says the cost is one billion [which is quite a lot more] and he is outraged.

I would have thought the judge would have known a little bit more than the minister about this.

Imagine the scenario –

A bloke has been having a wild night with his mates in the pub and it’s getting near closing time.

“Hey barman” says the customer, “any idea what the final tab is going to be?”

“Well” says the barman, “they haven’t finished drinking yet, but it’s near closing so it won’t be more than three hundred.”

“A thousand euro” screams the customer. “That is outrageous”

“No” says the barman, “three hundred”

“A thousand is a ridiculous amount. I’m going to write to the papers and I’m going to complain to Joe Duffy”

“It is definitely three hundred” says the barman, “and probably a lot less. But three hundred at tops”

“How can you possibly justify charging a thousand for a few drinks? This is madness. I’m writing to my TD. I’m going to picket the pub. I’m going to go on hunger strike”

“But I told you it won’t be more than three hundred. They haven’t ordered takeouts yet but it still won’t be any more. I’ve allowed for that”

“How can you live with yourself charging a thousand for a night out with the lads? It is obscene. I will make this the talking point of the nation”

And so on, etcetera.

I would have thought the barman would have a better idea of the final bill. I would say the customer was losing the plot.

But what do I know about these things?