Post by guillaume on Oct 6, 2009 17:23:21 GMT
A new scandal arose. The "cam colié", sorry, Ceann Comhairle, had created another controversy regarding his expenses as minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism... This is the extract from Wiki :
the During a two year tenure as Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, O'Donoghue's expenses amounted to €126,000. The minister claimed expense claims that involved foreign trips for himself and both his wife and personal secretary. Sinn Féin is to raise the spending spree with the Dáil, while a Fine Gael spokesperson branded the expense claims as "indulgent".[3]
In May 2006, O'Donoghue used the government jet for a six-day journey at the cost of €32,450. O'Donoghue, accompanied by his wife, attended the Cannes Film Festival. He returned from Cannes to Kerry to attend the opening of new offices for the Fexco company in Killorglin. He then travelled from Kerry to Cardiff for the Heineken Cup final which Munster won and travelled back to Cannes by government jet. He went from Cannes to London for a Ryder Cup promotional event, before returning to Dublin on 24 May 2006.[4]
Expenses for car-hire services provided by a London-based firm to O'Donoghue during four visits to Britain in 2006 and 2007 came to a total of €21,289.57, according to documents released under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act. Documents released to The Irish Times showed that three of the four visits were connected with the attendance of O'Donoghue at race meetings in Cheltenham and Ascot.[5]
In 2006, when O'Donoghue visited Manchester on official business during St Patrick's week, prior to attending Cheltenham, car-hire payments made to Terry Gallagher, of Cartel Limousines Ltd, came to €7,591.96 for “airport pick-ups”. This covered the period 11–13 March. In June 2007, O'Donoghue attended the Royal Ascot race meeting over a four day period and Gallagher's firm was paid a total of €3,582.22, according to the official receipts.[5][4]
On 21 August 2009, the Irish Independent reported that in January 2006 O'Donoghue spent €472 on a limousine to commute between terminals in London Heathrow Airport despite a free airport service between the terminals existing for passengers. Fine Gael Environment spokesman Phil Hogan further criticised O'Donoghue's expense claims, labelling them as unjustifiable and inexcusable.[6]
On 31 August 2009 O'Donoghue's expense claim controversy appeared on the front page of the Irish Independent, revealing how O'Donoghue received €330,000 in allowances and expenses in addition to his basic TD salary. It was further revealed that O'Donoghue flew to and from County Kerry at the expense of the taxpayer 73 times, despite having a full-time car driver to his service.[7]
In August 2009 government minister Dick Roche has called upon O'Donoghue to explain his expense claims.[8] These claims were echoed by opposition TDs including Fine Gael politician Leo Varadkar who called for a "full and Public" explanation, requesting an investigation as to whether O'Donoghue's expense claims were standard under Fianna Fáil leadership during his tenure as Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism.[7] In August 2009 Independent TD Jackie Healy-Rae requested a public statement from O' Donoghue, reiterating the need for O'Donoghue to defend himself, claiming that "the people want answers".[7]
In a letter sent to all members of the Dáil on 11 September 2009, O'Donoghue defended his record as a Minister and as Ceann Comhairle.[9] He said he had stayed silent so far on the issue in order to protect the impartiality of his current position. He acknowledged that some of the costs incurred were high, and regretted that they occurred. He also pointed out that a minister would not be informed of the details of such expenditure and he said he would work to ensure such costs are reduced to the minimum in the future.[9]
Despite the extravagance of the reported expense claims and his delay in addressing the controversy, O'Donoghue maintained that he acted in "good faith". O'Donoghue still refuses to comment on newspaper articles that reveal indulgent expenditure.[10] In response to the letter Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny called on O'Donoghue to issue a public apology to the Irish public for the expenses incurred, claiming that the O' Donoghue's response "did not go far enough".[11] Fianna Fáil TD Mattie McGrath speaking on Today FM compared O'Donoghue's actions to that of a 'latter day prince'.
In an interview on the RTÉ News: Six One on the 14 September 2009 Róisín Shortall of the Labour Party claimed that O'Donoghue had underestimated the public's anger, of what she labelled, his "junketeering". She questioned the nature of O'Donoghue's statement that failed to address the public, maintaining that it "would be very very" difficult for him to hold his position of Ceann Comhairle.[9]
On 3 October 2009, O'Donoghue's expenses record was released by his office. €45,000 was spent on internal flights, while a reported €5,000 was claimed for VIP lounge access. Further spending included, presents for dignitaries and flights for his wife. Coincidently two of O'Dononghues' trips to Paris took place at the same time as the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.[12] On 4 October 2009 the full extent of O'Donoghue's trips to the Paris were revealed by several national newspapers. It was reported that in 2007, Mr O Donoghue spent two days at the races, while his meeting with the French National Assembly only took place while travelling between his hotel and Charles de Gaulle airport. Further spending which was branded as lavish included €1,543 spend on transport over a three day period and hotel costs in excess of €500 per night. It was widely reported that in total O'Donoghues trip cost €6126.42, which was later claimed as 'expenses'.[13]Additionally the Irish Mail on Sunday revealed that O'Donoghue had hired a travel consultant to arrange flights to and from Paris. While O' Donoghue could justify expense claims as Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism as trips were in national interest, as Ceann Comhairle he had no such responsibilities.
Now, after the dismissal of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and now the chief of FAS, and those among many others cases not yet revealed to the public, it is clear the FF government is corrupted. Yet the celtic tiger had indeed showed his tooth. But not forget that a tiger is a wild animal, who kills and eats, when hungry...
the During a two year tenure as Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, O'Donoghue's expenses amounted to €126,000. The minister claimed expense claims that involved foreign trips for himself and both his wife and personal secretary. Sinn Féin is to raise the spending spree with the Dáil, while a Fine Gael spokesperson branded the expense claims as "indulgent".[3]
In May 2006, O'Donoghue used the government jet for a six-day journey at the cost of €32,450. O'Donoghue, accompanied by his wife, attended the Cannes Film Festival. He returned from Cannes to Kerry to attend the opening of new offices for the Fexco company in Killorglin. He then travelled from Kerry to Cardiff for the Heineken Cup final which Munster won and travelled back to Cannes by government jet. He went from Cannes to London for a Ryder Cup promotional event, before returning to Dublin on 24 May 2006.[4]
Expenses for car-hire services provided by a London-based firm to O'Donoghue during four visits to Britain in 2006 and 2007 came to a total of €21,289.57, according to documents released under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act. Documents released to The Irish Times showed that three of the four visits were connected with the attendance of O'Donoghue at race meetings in Cheltenham and Ascot.[5]
In 2006, when O'Donoghue visited Manchester on official business during St Patrick's week, prior to attending Cheltenham, car-hire payments made to Terry Gallagher, of Cartel Limousines Ltd, came to €7,591.96 for “airport pick-ups”. This covered the period 11–13 March. In June 2007, O'Donoghue attended the Royal Ascot race meeting over a four day period and Gallagher's firm was paid a total of €3,582.22, according to the official receipts.[5][4]
On 21 August 2009, the Irish Independent reported that in January 2006 O'Donoghue spent €472 on a limousine to commute between terminals in London Heathrow Airport despite a free airport service between the terminals existing for passengers. Fine Gael Environment spokesman Phil Hogan further criticised O'Donoghue's expense claims, labelling them as unjustifiable and inexcusable.[6]
On 31 August 2009 O'Donoghue's expense claim controversy appeared on the front page of the Irish Independent, revealing how O'Donoghue received €330,000 in allowances and expenses in addition to his basic TD salary. It was further revealed that O'Donoghue flew to and from County Kerry at the expense of the taxpayer 73 times, despite having a full-time car driver to his service.[7]
In August 2009 government minister Dick Roche has called upon O'Donoghue to explain his expense claims.[8] These claims were echoed by opposition TDs including Fine Gael politician Leo Varadkar who called for a "full and Public" explanation, requesting an investigation as to whether O'Donoghue's expense claims were standard under Fianna Fáil leadership during his tenure as Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism.[7] In August 2009 Independent TD Jackie Healy-Rae requested a public statement from O' Donoghue, reiterating the need for O'Donoghue to defend himself, claiming that "the people want answers".[7]
In a letter sent to all members of the Dáil on 11 September 2009, O'Donoghue defended his record as a Minister and as Ceann Comhairle.[9] He said he had stayed silent so far on the issue in order to protect the impartiality of his current position. He acknowledged that some of the costs incurred were high, and regretted that they occurred. He also pointed out that a minister would not be informed of the details of such expenditure and he said he would work to ensure such costs are reduced to the minimum in the future.[9]
Despite the extravagance of the reported expense claims and his delay in addressing the controversy, O'Donoghue maintained that he acted in "good faith". O'Donoghue still refuses to comment on newspaper articles that reveal indulgent expenditure.[10] In response to the letter Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny called on O'Donoghue to issue a public apology to the Irish public for the expenses incurred, claiming that the O' Donoghue's response "did not go far enough".[11] Fianna Fáil TD Mattie McGrath speaking on Today FM compared O'Donoghue's actions to that of a 'latter day prince'.
In an interview on the RTÉ News: Six One on the 14 September 2009 Róisín Shortall of the Labour Party claimed that O'Donoghue had underestimated the public's anger, of what she labelled, his "junketeering". She questioned the nature of O'Donoghue's statement that failed to address the public, maintaining that it "would be very very" difficult for him to hold his position of Ceann Comhairle.[9]
On 3 October 2009, O'Donoghue's expenses record was released by his office. €45,000 was spent on internal flights, while a reported €5,000 was claimed for VIP lounge access. Further spending included, presents for dignitaries and flights for his wife. Coincidently two of O'Dononghues' trips to Paris took place at the same time as the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.[12] On 4 October 2009 the full extent of O'Donoghue's trips to the Paris were revealed by several national newspapers. It was reported that in 2007, Mr O Donoghue spent two days at the races, while his meeting with the French National Assembly only took place while travelling between his hotel and Charles de Gaulle airport. Further spending which was branded as lavish included €1,543 spend on transport over a three day period and hotel costs in excess of €500 per night. It was widely reported that in total O'Donoghues trip cost €6126.42, which was later claimed as 'expenses'.[13]Additionally the Irish Mail on Sunday revealed that O'Donoghue had hired a travel consultant to arrange flights to and from Paris. While O' Donoghue could justify expense claims as Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism as trips were in national interest, as Ceann Comhairle he had no such responsibilities.
Now, after the dismissal of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and now the chief of FAS, and those among many others cases not yet revealed to the public, it is clear the FF government is corrupted. Yet the celtic tiger had indeed showed his tooth. But not forget that a tiger is a wild animal, who kills and eats, when hungry...