Dempsey splashed out €14,000 on limos
Harney reveals $5,000 hotel bill
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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.
- Shane Phelan Investigative Correspondent
Irish Independent
