John O'Donoghue and his travel spending spree

paulocon

Wille O' Dea in the Indo today..

'We need to stop living in denial and cut costs even further'

You couldn't make it up!!! Speechless.

sceptre wrote: »

You mean like the Willie O'Dea €46,000 paid to party activists to give out Willie O'Dea leaflets with taxpayer money allocated for secretarial services debacle that didn't get half enough press coverage?

Limerick Independent story
Irish Daily Mail part 1 (yes, I know but this is where the stopped clock is right)
Irish Daily Mail part 2
Irish Daily Mail part 3
Clare Champion story with a bit about Tony Killeen's 30 grand as well

Make a list, check it twice. Maybe the bould Willie should get his own thread.

thebman

paulocon wrote: »

Wille O' Dea in the Indo today..

'We need to stop living in denial and cut costs even further'

You couldn't make it up!!! Speechless.

He is another rolled out to say what the leader needs heard in FF. Expect Noel Dempsey next :rolleyes:

Liam Byrne

Sure I posted here about getting a letter on official Oireachtas paper from an FF TD urging me to vote for an FF candidate in the local elections!

Two things I saw wrong with that :

1) The "Oireachtas" envelope made me open it - an FF envelope would have seen it go straight into the (recycling) bin
2) It was OUR money that paid for that, too, even though it wasn't a proper Dail expense - just an advertising campaign for a previously unelected (and therefore completely unentitled to our money) FF candidate!

The irony, of course, being that this was the same local election that FF were telling us had "nothing to do" with our view of TDs!!!!

You couldn't make it up, could you ?

Biggins

Looks like Demsey is next in the firing line too!

Dempsey splashed out €14,000 on limos

TRANSPORT Minister Noel Dempsey spent almost €14,000 on chauffeur services during six official trips abroad.
Mr Dempsey became the latest leading politician to become embroiled in the politicians' expenses controversy after details of his expenditure were obtained by the Irish Independent.
Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act revealed how €13,570 was shelled out on chauffeur and limo services for Mr Dempsey and his entourage during foreign trips since the beginning of last year.

Embarrassingly for Mr Dempsey -- who is encouraging more people to use buses and trains -- the documents indicate he availed of public transport just once while abroad on business over the past two years.
Meanwhile, separate documents released to the Irish Independent under the Freedom of Information Act last night revealed Health Minister Mary Harney and her officials racked up a bill of almost $5,000 (€3,300) while staying in a luxury hotel on the same weekend she attended the US Super Bowl.

Ms Harney went to the Super Bowl during a controversial "fact-finding" trip to the US in February 2008. The minister and her entourage stayed in the Enchantment Resort and Spa in Arizona for three nights, racking up a bill of $4,932.07.

Costs run up by Mr Dempsey included almost €950 on one night's accommodation at a Singapore hotel, and €324 claimed for purchases of cufflinks.
The taxpayer also covered the cost of a €429 courier bill so that a framed painting, which Mr Dempsey said he had been unexpectedly presented with by an Irish-Australian business association, could be transported for the minister from Australia to Ireland.
Mr Dempsey last night conceded that spending on his foreign trips had been high. He said steps were being taken to keep costs down in future.
Overall Mr Dempsey has been responsible for costs of €38,000 during eight foreign trips since January last year.

A journey to London for a number of engagements in January last year involved €1,326 being paid out for one day's use of a limo. The firm involved is run by Terry Gallagher, the son of former Fianna Fail Gaeltacht Minister Denis Gallagher.
Flights for Mr Dempsey's trip to Australia in March 2008 for the St Patrick's Day celebrations cost almost €9,000. En route, Mr Dempsey availed of VIP services at Frankfurt airport for €565. During a stop-off in Singapore, Mr Dempsey stayed one night at the Shangri La at a cost of €943. Car hire and VIP coach transfers in Singapore cost €513.

Mr Dempsey's journey continued to Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Chauffeur and car hire costs during Mr Dempsey's nine days in Australia came to over €6,500.
He spent two nights at the Hyatt Hotel in Canberra, at €395 per night; one night at the Brisbane Hilton for €308; and three nights at the Shangri La hotel, Sydney, for €339 per night. Mr Dempsey claimed €1,000 in subsistence expenses.
On the return journey, Mr Dempsey availed of VIP lounges at Sydney airport, at a cost of €181, and London Heathrow, for €208. Cufflinks worth €145 were also bought for the trip.

Mr Dempsey travelled to Luxembourg on the government jet for a day-long meeting of EU transport ministers in April last year. Car hire cost €903.
The same month, Mr Dempsey travelled to Washington for former taoiseach Bertie Ahern's address to the US Congress. Limo hire for the two-day visit cost €2,112.

Public transport

Another one-day visit to Luxembourg in June last year involved a car hire bill of €978.

During a four-day visit to the US in November last year, Mr Dempsey spent two nights at the Washington Marriot Hotel, for €334 per night. A similar bill was paid for two nights at Fitzpatrick's Hotel in New York. A €53 bar bill was also charged.
This was the only trip where Mr Dempsey used public transport. He took a train from Annapolis to New York at a cost of €166. The cost of car hire during the visit came to €1,207.

In a statement last night, Mr Dempsey said he had instructed his staff to keep such costs to a minimum in future.
Mr Dempsey said he instructed officials that the use of VIP lounges was to be eliminated, except for exceptional cases.
Mr Dempsey also defended the purchase of cufflinks, which he said were presented to foreign dignitaries. The minister added he was always keen to use public transport while abroad and has let officials know this when planning his itinerary.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/dempsey-splashed-out-836414000-on-limos-1923532.html

---

All I can say is "pure madness" and "holy crap!"

Till the current publicity dies down, for a while anyway, the party is over for them: http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/the-partys-over-for-our-freespending-ministers-1923438.html

Hootanany

He is nearly as bad as the Bull keep the pressure up

Sizzler

Biggins, check out how much Dempsey's FF colleague from the same constituency clocked up in expenses. Johnny Brady, from that far flung place MEATH. €150K or so from memory :eek: Inexplicable.

Dempsey is a windbag, he couldnt even get one thing right this week, amazing how lazy usually mute like td's sprung into action this week when he tried to do something progressive. And he dropped his pants and bent over and let them win.

Its like a game of dominoes at the moment, there will be a few more people to fall when it all comes out in the wash.

My 2 local TD's have taken over a month to "look into" their expenses and still havent explained them :rolleyes:

Spiritoftheseventies

Was watching Prime Time last week and that guy ken Foxe who broke the JOD story was on with Mark Little.
Anyway they switched over to Miriam and off cue you heard the phrase "more coming down the tracks".
Thought it strange that it happened. Was as if RTE were tipping politicians off that there was more to come from the papers.

spadder

This is Dempsey using Trim GAA pitch as his own private Heli-pad. He would often fly in on the army chopper. , It seemed to be a risky place to put down.

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/50054/73482.JPG

old boy

and dems the guys saying CUT THE DOLE.

Spiritoftheseventies

spadder wrote: »

This is Dempsey using Trim GAA pitch as his own private Heli-pad. He would often fly in on the army chopper. , It seemed to be a risky place to put down.

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/50054/73482.JPG

Yes heard that one. Apparently locals always knew when Dempsey was in the area when they heard the sound of a helicopter hovering overhead. Think Indo ran a story on it earlier on in the year.

Sizzler

Worth buying the Tribune today

http://www.tribune.ie/breakingnews/article/2009/oct/25/more-than-31-million-paid-out-in-expenses-since-20/

wrote:

More than €31 million paid out in expenses since 2005
Fianna Fail's Ned O'Keeffe has been named as the top expenses earner in the Dáil. According to today's newspapers, the Cork TD's annual claims were more than €75,000 - coming to a total of nearly €305,000 since 2005. Fine Gael's Pat Breen also topped the €300,000 mark, filing expenses of just over €301,000 in the last four years. Of the top 10 expense claimants in the Dail, five are Fine Gael TDs, three come from Fianna Fail and there are two independents. More than €31 million has been paid out to deputies in expenses over the past four years. A further €10.5 million was claimed by Senators. The biggest expense claims ranged between €280,794 and €304,137 for the period between 2005 and 2009. Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny makes the top 10, expensing to the tune of €285,277 during that time.

Hootanany

There all at it anyone know of lenihans or cowins

thebman

Sizzler wrote: »

Worth buying the Tribune today

http://www.tribune.ie/breakingnews/article/2009/oct/25/more-than-31-million-paid-out-in-expenses-since-20/

and so we learn why Enda didn't want to give out about O'Donoghue. Nice job Enda, can FG ask him to step down already as he seems to be a massive reason why people won't vote FG.

Edit---

Oh yes and please please please let Noel Dempsey be next to go, walking fooking disaster that I think he is.

thebman

Hootanany wrote: »

There all at it anyone know of lenihans or cowins

I looked at Cowens when they showed up before but they were low compared to what we see here. Someone said as he is Taoiseach there is a way to hide the stuff or something.

Officially was about 30-40,000 euro last time I saw it.

Hootanany

thebman wrote: »

I looked at Cowens when they showed up before but they were low compared to what we see here. Someone said as he is Taoiseach there is a way to hide the stuff or something.

Officially was about 30-40,000 euro last time I saw it.

How is this allowed someone has to be cupable

Sully

thebman wrote: »

and so we learn why Enda didn't want to give out about O'Donoghue. Nice job Enda, can FG ask him to step down already as he seems to be a massive reason why people won't vote FG.

Thats not correct though. None of the political leaders put pressure on until after the Lisbon. People are voting Fine Gael a lot more, and thats fairly obvious. He is the second most popular leader in this country at the moment and I think calling for his head and not the heads of the other ministers who have screwed us over a lot more and refuse to pay it back (or excuse it in some cases) is disappointing. Some of us in this country want change and rid of this Fianna Fail government, and not a union led party.

Kenny's method looked weaker but I believe his method would have been better. Under Kenny's method, O'Donoghue could be forced to pay back the tax payers (that us) what he took and would not cost us taxpayers (us again) any additional crazy money.

What Gilmore did, including calling him up and giving a heads up as to his intentions, was force him out of office and not re-pay the tax payer (thats us again!) what he owes us. To top it all off, thanks to happy Gilmore press hunting, we pay out more then we would have! The guy who would effectively allow the unions walk all over him - some of whome are paid higher then our ministers!

Every party has an expense scandal - as do a lot of businesses - just like they did in the UK. I'm sure happy Gilmore will be the focus of an expense scandal soon as will lots of others. So far, FG seem to be the only people agreeing to re-pay what they spent and offering reform so it doesn't happen again. The times were good, people acted foolishly - including us with our own money. Lessons need to be learned from this and hopefully they will.

donegalman1

The cavalier attitude of politicians both in Ireland and MEPs is shocking, some of which I have seen first hand.

I accept that many ministers have bookings made by officials etc, but on a recent trip to Brussels I was dumbfounded at the attitude of one MEP in particular.

His advisors spend alot of time babysitting and taking serious issue with any criticism, yet his antics were unbelievable. Still at home he looks great and is re-elected time and again. The amount of political advice and advisor support was amazing. Was no more interested in Ireland there than anyone and was totally self absorbed.

Ironically, MEPS from the party in power in Ireland were much better behaved and seemed more interested in what they were doing there.

I am genuinely sorry I didn't have a hidden camera.

The outstanding politicians I met were Marian Harkin and Piontious De Rossa, though Piontious did seem to have more interest in the Middle East Problems.

Spiritoftheseventies

donegalman1 wrote: »

The cavalier attitude of politicians both in Ireland and MEPs is shocking, some of which I have seen first hand.

I accept that many ministers have bookings made by officials etc, but on a recent trip to Brussels I was dumbfounded at the attitude of one MEP in particular.

His advisors spend alot of time babysitting and taking serious issue with any criticism, yet his antics were unbelievable. Still at home he looks great and is re-elected time and again. The amount of political advice and advisor support was amazing. Was no more interested in Ireland there than anyone and was totally self absorbed.

Ironically, MEPS from the party in power in Ireland were much better behaved and seemed more interested in what they were doing there.

I am genuinely sorry I didn't have a hidden camera.

The outstanding politicians I met were Marian Harkin and Piontious De Rossa, though Piontious did seem to have more interest in the Middle East Problems.

You mean Prionsias de Rossa dont you?

DublinWriter

bayviewclose wrote: »

You mean Prionsias de Rossa dont you?

Or maybe even Frank Ross?

In fairness to Prionsias, when I was working in Brussels I'd always see him flying coach class on the Aer Lingus flights from Zavantem. I'd often also see Dana on the bus to Charleroi getting the Ryanair flight home too.

cleveroli

Listen, In Tipp Michael Lowry was caught dodging his tax with an off shore account - got his house done up (Doubled in size and it was big to start with) thanks to Ben Dunne wasn it?..... was implicated in wrong doing over the issue of a mobile phone licence to Denis O Brien who used to work as some sort of a contractor for Tony Ryan (And is now richer than the Ryan's!!!!!!how'd that happen:rolleyes:) and despite this topped the polls!!!

Make you sick only I wouldnt want to waste the vomit!

And dont worry when he pops his clogs - Michael Junior is all ready trying on Daddys shoes for the fit!!! And theres a crowd of eejits calling themselves the Lowry Team!!!

YES WE GET WHAT WE DESERVE!!!!!!

Biggins

As bad as O'Donaghue was/is - just be thankful he didn't make it to the EU!
For example:

€270K EU presidential shower for Sarkozy
Wednesday, 28 October 2009 12:03

President Sarkozy has been criticised for spending €177m on his country's six months in charge of the EU, including €270,000 on a personal shower he never used.
The vast expense is set out in a report blaming poor management and a lack of transparency by the President's staff.
Costs soared because so many of the EU-related events were organised at the last minute, said the report.
On one occasion the French President triggered the cancellation of an entire EU event he was due to host in Evian, because he wanted to sleep in his own bed at the Elysee Palace.
By then hundreds of journalists, EU officials and national delegations had either already arrived in Evian or were on their way.

A flood of complaints prompted compensation payments, adding more to the eventual presidency bill.
The total for President's Sarkozy's EU grandstanding is set out in figures published by the French national audit office.
Every government likes to showcase its country when in the EU presidency.
National funds are topped up with EU budget support to mount summits, informal ministerial meetings and EU-related promotional events, conferences and policy programmes.
Funding is shared between national and regional authorities and the EU budget.
According to the French auditors, President Sarkozy spared no expense, down to the last detail.

For one three-day event alone, he sanctioned an elaborate upgrade of the Grand Palace in Paris for an EU-Mediterranean summit, one of his presidency initiatives to mark his turn at the EU helm.
The event was one of his final EU presidency flourishes last July, and involved hundreds of workmen and millions of euro.
'The Grand Palace had to be completely refitted for the occasion. Five hundred technicians were mobilised every day, including 300 at night,' said the report.
Spending included nearly €1m for one dinner for more than 40 government leaders and heads of state who attended the event.

There was nearly €333,000 to build a conference podium, nearly €300,000 on upgrading the gardens and grounds, and a total bill for the Sarkozy shower of almost €270,000.
The audit report said the cost soared because of the complications of installing a state-of-the-art shower to the President's specifications in a listed building.
The President never used it - instead nipping back to the Elysee Palace during the three-day summit to freshen up. The shower has since been dismantled.

Other spending on the summit included €100,000 for a carpet
In all there were about 500 presidency-related events during the six months, but Jean Arthuis, head of the French Senate finance committee, says not all of them were essential, and not all contributed to French success in its EU presidency.
He described French EU presidency accounting as 'opaque', saying it was hard to establish who paid for what.
Figures show that previous French EU presidencies have been much cheaper - €13.3m in 1995, and €60m in 2000.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1028/sarkozyn.html

Yikes!!! :eek::eek::eek:

maynooth_rules

My god that must be some shower to be that expensive

Stark

Must be made of gold.

ConsiderThis

Deleted User wrote: »

But he was.

In fairness to people who are now working in South Kerry, and who would not have been at any other time (and there are many) you don't expect them to say he brought loads of jobs to the area....but he failed to sort out crime in West Dublin.

I still think his comptency (purely at a local level granted) and his integrity keep getting confused. I live in South Kerry and I can say he was our best ever TD. But on the other hand he screwed the system and has to go.

In my view this sort of post exemplifies just whats wrong with Irish politics. The poster seems unable to distinguish between a TD who does some good for his area (usually judged by appearing to secure money in some form or another) and a politician who steals from the electorate by fiddling his expenses. He did not bring a single job to the area, other people did.

AS long as this sort of moral vacuum continues, whereby some think that its a matter of balance, and a TD who does his job and does good must, therefore, be allowed a certain latitude to steal or fiddle his taxes, then we will continue on the path we have been on for far too long.

old boy

donegalman1 wrote: »

The cavalier attitude of politicians both in Ireland and MEPs is shocking, some of which I have seen first hand.

I accept that many ministers have bookings made by officials etc, but on a recent trip to Brussels I was dumbfounded at the attitude of one MEP in particular.

His advisors spend alot of time babysitting and taking serious issue with any criticism, yet his antics were unbelievable. Still at home he looks great and is re-elected time and again. The amount of political advice and advisor support was amazing. Was no more interested in Ireland there than anyone and was totally self absorbed

can you not name and shame, critism and hiding the mep come on,

ConsiderThis

I read in todays Times that Jacques Chirac is to stand trial in France over claims that he gave jobs to friends while he was mayor of Paris. Of course , in Ireland, this is not even viewed as a crcime, and is considered normal practice for politicians. Truly, in this country we seem to live in a parallel world to our European cousins, and seem to have less in common with the European or Western model, and more in common with many African countries where there is no accountability for politicians and their cronies.

"Jacques Chirac, the former French President, has been ordered to stand trial on corruption charges over claims that he illegally used public money to fund his rise to power in the 1990s. The decision is seen as a personal humiliation for one of France’s most prominent post-war figures and a further stain on a nation already tarnished by a series of sleaze allegations this autumn.
Defying pressure to drop the charges, Judge Xavière Simeoni, the investigating magistrate, ordered Mr Chirac, 76, to stand trial for breach of trust and unlawful use of public funds, after allegations that he paid allies for non-existent jobs..."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6896675.ece

thebman

ConsiderThis wrote: »

I read in todays Times that Jacques Chirac is to stand trial in France over claims that he gave jobs to friends while he was mayor of Paris. Of course , in Ireland, this is not even viewed as a crcime, and is considered normal practice for politicians. Truly, in this country we seem to live in a parallel world to our European cousins, and seem to have less in common with the European or Western model, and more in common with many African countries where there is no accountability for politicians and their cronies.

In Ireland this is generally how hiring works in most companies because the country is so small, networking is stupidly important here when looking for a job.

It is a problem but one we are stuck with I fear and as long as it is how companies hire, I fear it will be seen as ok for politicians to behave like this too.

ConsiderThis

thebman wrote: »

In Ireland this is generally how hiring works in most companies because the country is so small, networking is stupidly important here when looking for a job.

It is a problem but one we are stuck with I fear and as long as it is how companies hire, I fear it will be seen as ok for politicians to behave like this too.

Companies should be free to hire who and what they want, and to spend their own money how they like.

If you think that, because companies should be free to hire who they like, then that somehow means its ok for politicians to use public money to give jobs to their friends and cronies and business associates, then I disagree.

thebman

ConsiderThis wrote: »

Companies should be free to hire who and what they want, and to spend their own money how they like.

If you think that, because companies should be free to hire who they like, then that somehow means its ok for politicians to use public money to give jobs to their friends and cronies and business associates, then I disagree.

I'm not saying I see it this way, I'm saying many people see it that way.

I agree with you, its public money.

Sizzler

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/odonoghue-asked-for--two-tickets-to-paris-rugby-final-1932593.html

wrote:

JOHN O'DONOGHUE asked the Irish Sports Council for two tickets to the Rugby World Cup final, it was revealed last night.

Mr O'Donoghue was Ceann Comhairle at the time, and had ceased being minister for arts, sports and tourism for five months. He offered to pay for the tickets but the council gave them to him for free in recognition of his efforts on behalf of Irish sport.

The cost of the pair of tickets, for Mr O'Donoghue -- and it is thought his wife, Kate Ann -- came to nearly €1,000. The tickets were ultimately paid for by the taxpayer.

Late last night the Irish Sports Council admitted to the Irish Independent: "John O'Donoghue contacted the chairman of the Irish Sports Council, Ossie Kilkenny, to ask if two tickets for the 2007 Rugby World Cup final could be reserved on his behalf."

The glittering showpiece, between ultimate winners South Africa and England, was held in Paris on October 20 that year.

The Irish Sports Council -- which received more than €51m in government funding last year -- secured and paid for the tickets. It said last night: "Mr O'Donoghue offered to pay for the tickets but the Council declined his offer."

A spokesman for the Council offered the explanation: "It was decided to offer him the tickets on a complimentary basis in recognition of his efforts on behalf of Irish sport."

What a lovely gesture from the sports council :rolleyes: