State gets fleet of luxury cars for free

The Government will spend nothing on top-of-the-range Audi cars to ferry EU officials around for the presidency, but the car manufacturer will receive “prime-time advertising” on air, a senior Fine Gael figure said.

Party chairman Charlie Flanagan made his comments, saying there had been inaccurate reports that the deal would cost money with the German manufacturer for a small fleet of the vehicles for the six-month presidency.

The Laois-Offaly TD defended the use of the vehicles and said no Garda drivers were being used to drive around EU delegates.

“I’m clearing up inaccurate statements on Audi cars used during the EU Pres [sic]. Cars are given free of charge by Audi. No charge to the state,” tweeted Mr Flanagan yesterday.

He later said there would be Garda drivers, adding that there would “primetime advertising for Audi on news channels.”

Photographs of dozens of the gleaming brand new Audi A6 cars at Farmleigh Estate in recent days angered some groups, particularly on the back of tough cuts in last month’s budget.

Meanwhile, Ireland’s EU presidency programme will be launched tomorrow. A cultural programme will also be announced, which will include the engagement of Irish artists in Europe and beyond. More than 300 cultural events are planned at home and abroad as part of the presidency.

European Council president Herman Van Rompuy will also visit Dublin tomorrow, where he will meet Taoiseach Enda Kenny, among others.

The following day, Mr Kenny will be joined by European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, when both will launch the European Year of Citizens 2013.