Politicians, expenses and trust

Irish politicians are not required to produce receipts for expenses. No checks are made; the whole system is operated on the basis that they are honest and will not cheat the taxpayer.

A caller to Liveline today tells us how Irish taxpayers paid €1,650 per night to Seamus Brennan to stay at an apartment in Rome last year.

The caller was puzzled as to why Brennan couldn’t have stayed at the luxurious five stars Westin Excelsior hotel in the centre of Rome for a mere €355 per night. This hotel regularly caters for statesmen from all over the world. Stayed there myself for a week once and was very impressed.

The caller told us that taxpayers paid Junior Minister Mary Wallace €1,000 for VIP services at Dublin airport on a trip to Vienna. Just to repeat that – She collected €1,000 for VIP services at Dublin airport!!!

What the feck did she get for that – was she transported from her flight to her Mercedes in a mobile Jacuzzi, sipping the worlds most expensive champagne while being serenaded by the Vienna Boys Choir? This woman is a mere junior minister for something or other.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Mary Coughlin spent €75 per hour for 17 hours on car hire during a trip to the USA last year.

Irish politicians are not required to produce receipts for expenses. No checks are made; the whole system is operated on the basis that they are honest and will not cheat the taxpayer.

2 thoughts on “Politicians, expenses and trust”

  1. I too heard that caller today, to be honest, nothing surprises me anymore, this bloody country gets worse by the day.The politicians involved ought to be sent for some urgent lessons in money management..and just how the hell DID Mary Wallace spend 1,ooo smackers in Dublin Airport, or Seamus Brennan spend 1,650 smackers on a hotel room, I’d be expecting company in the leabha for that kind of dosh!!!
    A nod is as good as wink to a blind horse

  2. Company in the leabha Fred? I didn’t think of that, you could be onto to something there.

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