Brians challenge Bertie's reputation with make-up bill
Sunday December 07 2008
WHEN Bertie Ahern was Taoiseach, he never heard the end of it -- he was even dubbed the 'Queen of Drumcondra' because of his make-up bill.
Now records obtained by the Sunday Independent show both Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Finance Minister Brian Lenihan have between them employed the services of professional make-up artists on three occasions in the past year at a daily rate of €454 -- which is more than FAS paid for Mary Harney's Florida hairdo.
Tanaiste Mary Coughlan, meanwhile, takes care of her own make-up, and consequently presents no cost to the taxpayer.
Not surprisingly, when it comes to Messrs Cowen and Lenihan, their respective use of slap all took place around budgetary announcements.
According to the Department of Finance, Mr Cowen's last meeting with a make-up artist took place on the day of his final Budget as Finance Minister on December 5 last year, with the taxpayer footing the €454 bill for the service.
Mr Cowen's successor as Finance Minister, Brian Lenihan, has used the services of a make-up artist twice since then.
Mr Lenihan's first dalliance with foundation came on July 8 last when he delivered his now infamous -- and hopelessly optimistic -- mid term expenditure announcement.
According to the records, the Department of Finance paid €283.75 for the part-day use of a make-up artist on this occasion.
More recently, on October 14, Mr Lenihan employed a make-up artist for the delivery of his Budget 2009 speech in which he notoriously announced the introduction of means testing for the over-70s seeking medical cards.
Mr Lenihan's make-up application was paid for out of the public coffers at the full €454 per diem rate on October 31.
Defending the high cost of making Brian Cowen and Brian Lenihan beautiful, a spokesman for the Department of Finance said simply: "The make-up artist was only ever booked for days when the minister had extensive media commitments."
Given the Finance Minister's Haughey-esque warning to the public last Wednesday that we are now "living beyond our means", might we suggest that he and the Taoiseach consult with Bertie Ahern for advice when it comes to make-up?
For, according to the information released to the Sunday Independent, the two make-up artists employed to take care of the former Taoiseach on a rotational basis were paid at the far more reasonable Siptu daily rate of €187.92 for services rendered to Mr Ahern during his tenure.
To be fair to Taoiseach Brian Cowen, he has incurred no costs for make-up services since taking office last May.
Bertie Ahern meanwhile, ran up a bill for €11,190.73 in the five-month period leading up to his handover of power to his successor.
- RONALD QUINLAN
