Tanaiste denies abusing power by fast-tracking 499 passports

meglome

From the indo...

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/tanaiste-denies-abusing-power-by-fasttracking-499-passports-1749782.html

TANAISTE Mary Coughlan has used controversial powers to fast-track the approval of a passport a day over the past year-and-a-half.

Ms Coughlan used special privileges to help speed up 499 passport applications in just 483 days, documents obtained by the Irish Independent reveal.

The Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister -- already under fire amid spiralling jobs losses -- has denied abusing her powers, despite accounting for one in every 10 passport fast-tracking requests made since the beginning of 2008.

Ms Coughlan helped procure the passports using a special rapid service available to Oireachtas members.

The practice was criticised last night by anti-corruption organisation Transparency International, which said it could be seen as undue interference in the work of civil servants.

The group also said senior politicians should be focusing their efforts on tackling the economic crisis rather than devoting so much time and resources to acts of clientelism.

Under the system, TDs and senators can leave passport applications given to them by members of the public in a drop box in Leinster House.

These applications are processed by a special unit at the passport office and the passport is issued within five days -- half the time a regular application would take.

Some 4,383 applications were dealt with in this way between January 2008 and the end of last month, according to documents released under the Freedom on Information Act.

The amount of applications fast-tracked by the Tanaiste was only surpassed by her fellow Donegal Fianna Fail TD Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher, who helped speed up 539 passports in that period.

In contrast, Cabinet ministers such as Eamon O Cuiv, Martin Cullen, Mary Hanafin, Willie O'Dea, Batt O'Keeffe, Micheal Martin and Eamon Ryan used the service less than 30 times in the same period.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen was the second most prolific Cabinet member after the Tanaiste, fast-tracking 154 applications.

He was followed by Justice Minister Dermot Ahern on 106, Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith on 102 and Health Minister Mary Harney on 98.

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey helped fast-track 90 passports, Finance Minister Brian Lenihan speeded up 56 applications, while Environment Minister John Gormley used the service 36 times.

A spokeswoman for Ms Coughlan denied there was anything unusual about the number of times the Tanaiste's office had used the facility.

"It is a reflection of a service offered in her constituency office and the level of engagement with constituents," the spokeswoman said.

However, Transparency International Ireland's chief executive John Devitt said the practice was unfair on people who used the regular system and didn't jump the queue.

"It reinforces the public perception of TDs and senators as fixers rather than legislators," he said.

Applications

The six Donegal TDs accounted for 1,421 -- or just under one-third -- of all fast-tracked applications since the beginning of 2008.

Mr Gallagher, who is campaigning for a seat in the European elections, told the Irish Independent: "It is not an abuse of the system."

He said he and the Tanaiste were inundated with requests to fast-track applications because of the remoteness of Donegal from Dublin and a high awareness among constituents of the availability of the service.

However, TDs in similarly remote counties, such as Kerry and Clare, have used the facility only a handful of times in the same period.

Calls were made to scrap the service last year amid claims it was unfair on ordinary citizens and allowed politicians to use a resource provided by the State to effectively garner votes.

However, despite a review being ordered by then Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern, the facility was retained after Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour all argued it should continue. The passport office deals with over 600,000 regular applications each year.

- Shane Phelan

Just taking my mind off those fools we have for a government indemnifying Anglo directors.

It's all quite dodgy when we've got a good passport service, we really shouldn't be allowing politicians to buy votes like this.

gandalf

I wonder could a FOI request get a list of names who benefited from this abuse of power?

This crowd are an absolute disgrace and are showing themselves daily to be totally detached from reality and having any ability to sort out the mess that they have helped to get the country into.

squonk

On the other hand there must be a stampede to get out of Donegal! It's a lovely county! I don't know why?

It's pathetic though. 10 days isn't a long time to wait for a passport and it wouldn't be any trouble for the likes of Mary or Pat to just decline these requests. They should be ashamed of themsevles, of course they're not though. Sure if Biffo can do it, what's wrong with the rest of us doing it? The more I read about our so called government on here, the more my blood is starting to boil.

Bottle_of_Smoke

They could have been genuine cases. MY passport only took a week to arrive. I don't think this is newsworthy tbh.

markpb

He said he and the Tanaiste were inundated with requests to fast-track applications because of the remoteness of Donegal from Dublin and a high awareness among constituents of the availability of the service.

"The remoteness of Donegal" You'd swear An Post doesn't operate exactly the same express passport service as the rest of the country.

the facility was retained after Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour all argued it should continue. The passport office deals with over 600,000 regular applications each year.

This shows exactly what our politicians are like... they might not agree on much but they'll always vote together on things like removing their extended holidays and vote buying opportunities.

meglome

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

They could have been genuine cases. MY passport only took a week to arrive. I don't think this is newsworthy tbh.

I don't it's a big story but it newsworthy as far as I'm concerned. I really think it's a way to buy votes.

serfboard

Irish Independent wrote:

He said he and the Tanaiste were inundated with requests to fast-track applications because of the remoteness of Donegal from Dublin and a high awareness among constituents of the availability of the service.

The first part of this excuse is pathetic - as for the second part. Who is responsible for generating this "high level of awareness"? I had never heard of this facility until now. I suppose now that the need for planning permissions is down ... :rolleyes:

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

They could have been genuine cases. MY passport only took a week to arrive. I don't think this is newsworthy tbh.

You think all 500 of the cases were genuine? I very much doubt it. And if you're that stuck, you can always drive to Dublin to the passport office and queue up, if you need to. And you shouldn't need to - as has been said already, An Post do a very good passport express service.

I disagree with you about the newsworthiness of this article. I think it's just another example of the kind of stupid time-wasting crap that our politicians engage in, instead of addressing national priorities.

OTOH, I think it says more about us, and about what we expect of our politicians, if we find this nonsense acceptable.

InFront

Calls were made to scrap the service last year amid claims it was unfair on ordinary citizens and allowed politicians to use a resource provided by the State to effectively garner votes.

However, despite a review being ordered by then Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern, the facility was retained after Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour all argued it should continue. The passport office deals with over 600,000 regular applications each year.

Just to clarify, was it the politicians' fast tracking or the emergency passport service that was being argued against?

Personally I'm a big fan of the emergency passport scheme, and if politicans are doing something for their constituents in an emergency situation where the person needs to leave the country asap or has lost a passport, I don't see it as a great or significant abuse of power. Nobody gets an emergency passport for jollies. Slow news day?

Our man in Havana

gandalf wrote: »

I wonder could a FOI request get a list of names who benefited from this abuse of power?

I think you will find that they are very ordinary names of constituents that needed to get a passport in a hurry for genuine reasons.

sovtek

Who can we bribe to fast track our LTR and citizenship applications so they take less than 2/3 years?

Akrasia

serfboard wrote: »

I disagree with you about the newsworthiness of this article. I think it's just another example of the kind of stupid time-wasting crap that our politicians engage in, instead of addressing national priorities.

Ah, but they're such hard workers, 80 hour weeks if you listen to them, problem is, 50 of those hours are probably spent on ****e like this instead of doing the job they are so well paid to do

meglome

InFront wrote: »

Just to clarify, was it the politicians' fast tracking or the emergency passport service that was being argued against?

Personally I'm a big fan of the emergency passport scheme, and if politicans are doing something for their constituents in an emergency situation where the person needs to leave the country asap or has lost a passport, I don't see it as a great or significant abuse of power. Nobody gets an emergency passport for jollies. Slow news day?

We have a perfectly good express passport service which I think most people would agree is actually a very good service. So why would we need politicians doing this? Also you'd have to ask why some parts of the country have lots of politicians fast-tracking and other parts basically none at all.

Victor

InFront wrote: »

Personally I'm a big fan of the emergency passport scheme, and if politicans are doing something for their constituents in an emergency situation where the person needs to leave the country asap or has lost a passport, I don't see it as a great or significant abuse of power. Nobody gets an emergency passport for jollies. Slow news day?

So why not have a service where, say, certain designated main Garda stations or post offices deal with emergency applications on a formal basis, rather than depending on whether a politician is available (and going to Dublin) or not?

InFront

Victor wrote: »

So why not have a service where, say, certain designated main Garda stations or post offices deal with emergency applications on a formal basis, rather than depending on whether a politician is available (and going to Dublin) or not?

That's a good idea, but that system isn't in place.

We have a perfectly good express passport service which I think most people would agree is actually a very good service

The article mentions Kerry. Kerry has good rail links to Dublin and is close to the passport office in Cork. Donegal has no trains to Dublinor Cork whatever.
Is it a co-incidence that two of the biggest offenders were from Donegal?

When people are in urgent need of a passport, the facility should be there, and I genuinely don't think it's a big issue to press your local representative to help you with it when youre living in a remote location and it's not possible to travel to Dublin for two day trips to apply for and receive your travel documentation.

Victor

InFront wrote: »

I genuinely don't think it's a big issue to press your local representative to help you

Sure, but if its at the point that there are 5,000 such request every year, then surely its more that just the "exceptional", its routine - nearly 100 every week.

Aren't politicians exempt for the Data Protection Act? And in possession of lots of personal information?

meglome

InFront wrote: »

The article mentions Kerry. Kerry has good rail links to Dublin and is close to the passport office in Cork. Donegal has no trains to Dublinor Cork whatever.
Is it a co-incidence that two of the biggest offenders were from Donegal?

When people are in urgent need of a passport, the facility should be there, and I genuinely don't think it's a big issue to press your local representative to help you with it when youre living in a remote location and it's not possible to travel to Dublin for two day trips to apply for and receive your travel documentation.

I'm not buying sorry. From Kerry it's still 4 hours and 50-60 Euro on the train. According to your thinking all remote locations should have equal amounts of fast-track requests but they don't. Which begs the question as to why the difference.

InFront

Victor wrote: »

Sure, but if its at the point that there are 5,000 such request every year, then surely its more that just the "exceptional", its routine - nearly 100 every week.

Yes but even without adjusting for seasonal distribution thats 14 emergency passports being used by Irish citizens each day out of thousands flying in or (mostly) out of this country, so it isn't that routine really overall.

Also, I'm sure Mary and her colleague aren't advertising their services for passport applications in the local media, but its their constituents coming to her with these requests in a remote part of Ireland. She's about to get in a car to Dublin and imo she's doing what - rightly or wrongly - I think any of us would do for someone in this emergency.

InFront

meglome wrote: »

I'm not buying sorry. From Kerry it's still 4 hours and 50-60 Euro on the train. According to your thinking all remote locations should have equal amounts of fast-track requests but they don't. Which begs the question as to why the difference.

Well isn't there a passport office in Cork? I'm sure if there were one in Sligo you'd see a difference here

LoanShark

Being from Donegal,I would have to stand up for Mary and Pat,infact all our TDs on this one..There really is no big issue on this,it is not an advertised service that they have in the paper..
It is just a case of 'panic' when people discover their passport is out of date or nearly out of date that they have when they are going to go traveling..In all honesty how many of us ACTUALLY know when our passport is out of date..
People use this as an opertunity to make contact with their TD and to also get them to work for the vote..
Yes we do have a Postal Service in Donegal,We also have Lights and High Speed Broadband!!
But there is no big issue,It's not like we are herding people at the border and preping them for a new life..
It is a local thing..Our TDs offices are ran by local people and would almost always know the people who come in with their passport troubles and that is the long and short of it..
As for the other issues of how they preform in Government...That is for another Thread....

Riskymove

meglome wrote: »

From the indo...



Just taking my mind off those fools we have for a government indemnifying Anglo directors.

It's all quite dodgy when we've got a good passport service, we really shouldn't be allowing politicians to buy votes like this.

Funnily enough I see this the other way around...its voters getting TDs to do something for them

I don't see how it buys votes at all

kippy

The issue I personally have with this story is the "local" politics of it. These guys are TD's some with more power than others, whose main responsibility should be running the country. They have oceans of public servants they are responsible for whose jobs involve processing passports and dealing with these kind of issues. They should NOT have to spend their time putting through these kinds of paperwork, its an absolute waste of resources and time. What else do these guys do for their constituents I wonder? The whole thing is a joke.
While I have every sympathy for those who realise their passport is out of date and they need to travel in an emergency, as others have pointed out there are multiple options these people have.

Kippy

LoanShark

kippy wrote: »

The issue I personally have with this story is the "local" politics of it.

Kippy

ALL Politics is local!

Dr Galen

i'm not entirely sure what the big fuss about all of this is? It's hardly newsworthy and imho not an abuse of power. The facility exists and has done for years, it would be different if there was no system, and TD's were using undue influence to push applications through, then it would technically be an abuse, but I can think of much bigger abuses and frauds that we should be worried about.

Hagar

Because there are bigger abuses we should accept the smaller abuses?
Does not compute.

nesf

dlofnep wrote: »

Waterford being the only cityin Ireland without a Uni.

Kilkenny has a university now?

Dr Galen

Hagar wrote: »

Because there are bigger abuses we should accept the smaller abuses?
Does not compute.

God no Hagar, sorry if I didn't make myself totally clear.

I don't see this as an abuse of power as it stands right now.

If there was no system in place though for these passports to get fast-tracked by TD's then it would really then be an abuse of power, but on the list of government abuses of power, put in priority, then I'd say it would be down the list a bit. Doesn't mean we should accept it at all, but taking things in order of priority is a fact of life and thus other things would come first of the MM list of abuses of power to get fixed

Our man in Havana

All TDs and Senators can request fast tracking of passports, a point the papers have seemed to ignored.

Riskymove

Bond-007 wrote: »

All TDs and Senators can request fast tracking of passports, a point the papers have seemed to ignored.

"Opposition TDs abuse power" wouldn't sell too many papers I suppose:rolleyes:

I also like the bit where the group claims politicians should be focussing on more importnat issues and should not be interfering in work of civil servants

1. I dont think the TD spends too much time on this, I imagine its their office staff

2. TDs can currently, on a whim, change policy overnight, throwing out months of work by civil servants

Dalfiatach

squonk wrote: »

On the other hand there must be a stampede to get out of Donegal! It's a lovely county! I don't know why?

Because unemployment has rocketed - after the textile and fishing industries collapsed the only real source of employment in Donegal was construction. Most men worked in construction and spent the week working on sites everywhere else in the country. All those jobs have gone over the last year. Unemployment must be hitting 30% in Donegal at the moment, it really is catastrophic.

That said though, there's no real excuse for making use of TDs this way, the normal passport service is available throughout Donegal and the passport comes back within 10 days just like anywhere else. The TDs make out that they are doing people a favour and that without them the passport might take weeks or months, and gullible eejits believe them and are pathetically grateful that the TD "sorted" something that they were entitled to anyway.

Older posters among you probably remember the 70s & 80s when local TDs would get a list from Eircom outlining which telephones were down to be installed that month, and would write letters claiming credit for it. Same old rubbish really.

We really need to educate people in this country about clientelism and get them to wise up. 99% of what people genuinely think a TD "sorted" for them would have been done anyway, the TD just claimed the credit.

InFront

Dalfiatach wrote: »

The TDs make out that they are doing people a favour and that without them the passport might take weeks or months, and gullible eejits believe them and are pathetically grateful that the TD "sorted" something that they were entitled to anyway.

Are you sure? It seems to me like most people are well aware how it works, and that it would be the applicant taking the initiative and approaching the TD, hardly vice versa.

MorrisDunn

I have used this service and I have no regrets in doing so. I did not give the TD anything for doing it and nothing was expected in return.