Parlon denies tipping driver €1,750 when junior minister
Monday November 09 2009
CONSTRUCTION industry chief Tom Parlon last night conceded some of his expenses from his time as a junior minister were "excessive".
But he insisted he never personally tipped a chauffeur €1,750 whilst on official state business in Atlanta as part of St Patrick's Day celebrations.
Instead, gratuities for limo hire were built into the overall invoice and were not discretionary.
Limo hire for the US trip by the former Progressive Democrats junior minister came to €13,400 in 2006.
"From my perspective, the costs incurred were excessive. For instance, it seems that it was 'normal practice' for local embassies to agree to a 20pc gratuity for chauffeur services, which strikes me as being extremely high," Mr Parlon said.
"I would like to make it clear that I at no stage received any monies in lieu of the official travel I undertook as a minister. Payments were processed on an inter-departmental basis and it is both wrong and damaging to try to insinuate that there was some personal gain involved."
His robust defence followed publication yesterday of costs for Mr Parlon's trips abroad in 2005, 2006 and 2007 which were organised by the Department of Foreign Affairs through the relevant embassies.
Separate figures also revealed that Tourism Ireland spent more than €100,000 between 2003 and 2005 sending former Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue and his wife abroad. Costs included €138 for a tuxedo, €681 on tickets for the Breeder's Cup, €22,700 on flights to Australia and €301 on formal wear.
Plush
Meanwhile, new figures show the Air Corps has provided €210,796 worth of transport to ministers since 2007.
Individual journeys costing up to €10,000 have been undertaken by ministers, with most of these helicopter rides costing around €3,000 per trip, according to costings provided by the Department of Defence.
Defending the use of helicopters by ministers, Defence Minister Willie O'Dea said they were used "from time to time" for ministerial air transport when there was no aircraft available or the point of destination wasn't close to an airport.
Last year, ministerial transport represented about 5pc of total helicopter flying hours, Mr O'Dea said.
It also emerged yesterday that Mr O'Dea has told his officials that he wants to bring all his old furniture with him when he moves to a plush new office.
In a letter to the Secretary General of the Department of Defence, the minister told the official to inform the Office of Public Works (OPW) he was prepared to take his office furniture with him when the department, costing over €25m, opens in Newbridge, Co Kildare. From next February it will be home to 244 clerical and administrative staff, in addition to 42 military personnel.
In the past, the OPW has found itself at the centre of considerable controversy.
In August 2008, the office of Mr O'Donoghue underwent a €100,000 refurbishment when the OPW paid €30,000 for carpets, spent €11,380 on curtains and €1,000 on a new chair.
Prior to that, the relocation of Mr Ahern to new offices when he resigned as Taoiseach cost the taxpayer €250,000.
- Aine Kerr, Political Correspondent
Irish Independent
