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MINISTER FOR PUBLIC Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin has said that it is not the pattern of the current administration for the State to pay for ministers’ spouses to accompany them on foreign trips.
His comments came after a suggestion yesterday by Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, John McGuinnness, that a case could be made for the costs to be covered.
Speaking ahead of the Cabinet meeting at Government Buildings this morning, Howlin said he didn’t think that was ever the pattern and stressed that “it’s not the norm or the pattern for this administration.”
The minster said McGuinness “made his own explanation and people can draw their own conclusions”.
When asked if he thought McGuinness should resign from his position over the comments, Howlin said that would be a matter for the committee itself.
“He has a very important role to play,” he said. “That committee is probably the foremost committee of the house and we’re getting further power to the committee under legislation I’m bringing in now.”
Howlin also said that he thought it important that the work of the executive be separate from that of committees and that is why it should be left to the PAC to “make determinations on the suitability of an individual”.
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Quite extraordinary that this could even be a matter for discussion. It just goes to show how deeply we have sunk into a moral vacuum. The sense of entitlement, superiority and parochialism in Irish politics and Irish society in general is pretty sickening. The fact that many people think exactly the same as Mr McGuinness, doesn’t give me any hope that this attitude would change anytime soon.
John o’Donoughue, the ex FF Justice Minister charged the taxpayer 472 euro’s to get a limo from terminal 1 to terminal 2.
The owner of the Limo company in London was the son of a former FF T.D.
The arrogance of the FF/Ahern years will never be matched, the criminality and corruption that defined that Govt. will never be matched.
That Govt. was the cesspit for the moral vacuum that you speak of.
Their is a massive sense of entitlement in Irish society and it gets worse the higher up the ladder you go.
Only way to beat it is to have full transparency. The transparency of a nordic country, vouched expenses.
and most importantly an impartial media. Look at the Independent and Sindo, they read like a FF PR release half the time.
Let the bunga continue so……..
God but i’d love to go to a Bunga Bunga party.
@Brian, never say never :)
I work in private sector. I have a lot of business trips each year. If “herself” comes with me I pay for everything out of my own pocket. Why would my company pay for her? What planet do people like McGuinness live on to even suggest this in a public forum?
Take whoever you want but let it come out your overpaid and outrageous expenses and wages …
No spouse then Brendan?
Uncle Mort
No I don’t believe that the Minister has a spouse. Please explain the relevance of your remark or crawl back into your fetid garret.
Have to agree with Rick there. Stupid question Mort.
Id agree myself only Rick (Paddy Rodgers) McRory is a complete and utter toolbox!
This happened In 2007 more school yard politics from the supposed people we pay to run our country .
John McGuinness and his friends Bertie, Brian C and Brian L etc blew the economy out of the water in the biggest property collapse everseen, biggest banking collapse per capita ever seen, fastest economic retraction ever seen all in 2007.
Look at the dole ques, the debt and the problems we’ll have from that for the 10 years if we are lucky.
Shove your old News, it is not TV re-runs but real life and the head of the PAC being repeatedly shown to view taxpayers cash as a family support mechanism is a very big story.
@Vincent you’re a troll of epic proportions and do it so well at times, but that first comment above delved into the realms of stupidity, better if you’d just moved onto a different article this morning. He might get lonely FFS
“Not the pattern”
Always watch a politician and his words
I hear ‘yes, we’ve done it too, but it’s on an ad hoc basis’
.
I don’t see what the big problem is, surely these people get lonely on all these trips, i would love my wife to be with me if i had to take as many trips as these guys. There are bigger problems then this, cop on people.
Take her if you like. But do you really think that I should pay for her? Really?
A certain minister in the Ahern years loved going on trips and female company was a priority of his as well.
There are plenty of Vincent’s to go around. Couldn’t one of the others stay at home and see to her needs?
By your reasoning Vincent, every person in a job that involves foreign travel should be allowed to bring their partner at their companys expense. Go and think things through before you post idiotic comments.
Robin, your not paying the full flight ticket, Jesus cop on will you.
No Niall, for i am the one and only.
Yes Vincent the bigger problem in our govt. Who milk us dry and say it not our fault as they point fingers across the chamber about time they grew a pair and lead instead of the blame game
You cant milk me for I am a man.
Vincent is Enda paying you to be his muppet
lol.
No but i know what he pays your bird for.
Yep i know and she’s not cheap hope its not from our taxes
Vincent – your means ‘belongs to’. I think you mean you are as abbreviated to you’re. Symptomatic of your general level of education and intelligence.
Haha always one that has to be a smart ass, if your so intelligent and i’m so dumb, why would you even bother with me? big man
No .. I am the one an only !!
No .. I am the one an only !!
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