The Minister, his wife and his private secretary fly to Manchester, then on to Cheltenham Races via Stratford on Avon. This is after they attend the Ireland vs Scotland rugby match at Landsdowne Road. They spend St Patrick’s Day at the races. Money is also paid for their driver to overnight.
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Previously:
JOD Part 1 (India)
JOD Part 2 (Birmingham)
JOD Part 3 (Berlin)
JOD Part 4 (London)
JOD Part 5 (London)
JOD Part 6 (Venice)
Comments
4 responses to “The John O'Donoghue files (Part 7 – Manchester)”
Gavin you write:
“I am not accussing the journalists in question of anything untoward, I am merely observing the effectiveness of government PR/propaganda. This effectiveness is demonstrated in radio interviews, such as Conor Lenihan on Radio 1 yesterday morning, where he could refer directly to these news stories as evidence that “those days are over” etc. The marrying of government spin with ministers on air attempting to justify the profilagacy of Mr O’Donoghue is fascinating to observe. The talking points alone are professionally done:”
Yes you have got it in one.Their propaganda/spin department is more efficient than anything Joseph Goebbles ever managed during that particular 'Third Reich' although your own modest effort helped to bring about the downfall of our home grown, third term 'Leader' one Bartholmew Ahern.!
then again in another Era and another place, your 'Resign Mr Ahern' campaign would have landed you in Auschwitz.
I'd love to know the total of costs incurred to the taxpayer by JOD over the past number of years. In terms of;
Basic Salary
Expenses
Bonuses
Benefits (health insurance, pension, etc)
Other benefits, such as state car + driver, etc
I'd say you'd be looking at a very high number. And then you'd have to ask yourself, does it represent value for money?
Gav – firstly – thanks for doing this. I have no doubt you are receiving plenty of messages of gratitude for digging in and helping to shed light on the so called representation being given by our elected officials.
Just curious to know if anyone is looking at other present or past ministers, or is JOD a special case, given his position, or his spending habits. Am sure there are more than just him who are squeezing the taxpayers tit until it's blue… (as noted on p.ie; ironically he has been the one appointed to rationalise ministerial spending… poacher turned gobshite…)
This time we have 2 new characters – John Jr and “John John” (or are they one and the same?). We note that (our paid for) limo diverts to pick up John John. Who is he? What role does he have? Why are we paying for it?
The gravy train gurgles on with Johnny and the redoubtable Ms O'Connor claiming expenses for accompanying the Minister, on top of all the vouched expenses.
The really sad thing about this is that the spinmeisters will tell you that that was then etc (we had loads of money).
But if we hadnt wasted it then we might have some more of it now.
And the really critical question is – if O'Connor accompanies Martin Cullen today does she claim – and get – the tax free income on top of her vouched expenses? If this scam was only justifiable when we were loaded surely it has been abolished now.
Or will pigs fly?