O’Donoghue silent on €126k travel bills

UNDER-fire Dáil Ceann Comhairle John O’Donoghue yesterday refused to explain how he and his wife had run up massive luxury travel bills footed by the taxpayer.

During a two-year period as Arts, Sports and Tourism Minister Mr O’Donoghue, his wife Kate Anne and an aide cost the State more than €126,000 in official travel expenses.

The taxpayer forked out for hotel suites costing €900 a night in Paris, €7,591 on “airport pick-ups” during a two-day visit to London, €250 for water taxis in Venice and €120 for “hat hire”.

Asked to justify the lavishness of the costs by the Irish Examiner, Mr O’Donoghue repeated nine times that “all queries should be addressed to the Department of Arts, Sports and Tourism”, before abruptly concluding the conversation saying: “I’ve told you what to do. Thank you. Goodbye.”

Mr O’Donoghue’s four-day trip to Venice was a particularly luxurious affair as he arrived by government jet – which costs €8,000 an hour to run – before staying at some of city’s most expensive hotels, the Albergo San Marco, Hotel Cipriani and the San Clemente Palace at a cost of €5,834.

The minister was whisked to and from the airport by a private airport boat costing €250.

A trip to Cannes proved just as ostentatious with the Hotel Montifluery costing €990 a night, with car hire coming in at €9,616.

Another visit to Berlin during the 2006 World Cup finals saw the taxpayer fork out €2,436 for a limousine to ferry Mr O’Donoghue to a football game.

The minister had use of the hugely expensive government jet for almost six days as he was whisked between events in Cannes, his Kerry constituency, Cardiff for the Heineken Cup final, back to Cannes, and then on to London.

While on a trip to India, Mr O’Donoghue stayed at the lavish Taj Mahal Hotel and claimed expenses of €677, while his wife did likewise for a figure of €802, and private secretary Therese O’Connor for €1,362 – the latter amount included €80 paid in “tips” to hotel porters.

On an official visit to Los Angeles, the minister and his wife ran up $492 (€346) for room service and dining at the exclusive Beverly Wilshire Hotel, with breakfast for the couple coming in at $91 (€64) and drinks on two consecutive nights coming to $135 (€95).

During a visit to London, Ms O’Connor’s hat hire for an official engagement cost €120.

The figures were released under freedom of information to the Sunday Tribune – but only after the newspaper was originally told that it would have to pay 34 times the usual €15 fee if it wanted to see the documents.

The minister’s total bill to the taxpayer could be double the €126,000 released, as the break-down for the use of the government jet and other flight costs are not included.

Mr O’Donoghue has a history of travel cost controversy after it emerged a four day visit to New York for him, his wife and two aides cost the taxpayer €27,000.