MEDIA COVERAGE of the expenses controversy that forced the resignation of Ceann Comhairle John O’Donoghue has been strongly criticised by Minister for Arts, Tourism and Sport Martin Cullen, who said it had been presented in an “extremely distorted” fashion.
Mr Cullen said while there had been failures regarding expenses, he did not accept “the denigration of decent people” who had served for a long period of time.
“Anybody that goes abroad for this country works extremely hard, and it is unfortunate that it is presented all the time as some kind of junket,” he said.
Mr Cullen said he would much prefer to be at home with his family on St Patrick’s Day rather than attending 24 functions in 48 hours as he did last year.
He said he would support making the system of expenses more transparent and that his Cabinet colleagues had nothing to hide from such a move.
He said he did not agree with Cabinet colleague John Gormley that the expenses controversy was “a can of worms”. “I don’t agree with that at all,” said Mr Cullen.
“I certainly am not aware of any issue that would be bothering any Minister, and certainly in my case I’ve nothing worrying me in that regard,” he said.
“I think what’s probably frustrating for some of us is, and I say this openly and honestly, is the way that it’s presented in the media can at times be extremely distorted, and present what are purported to be facts in an incorrect manner, and I think it’s very unfair to the individuals concerned,” said the Minister.
Asked if he thought Mr O’Donoghue had been treated unfairly, Mr Cullen said the way the controversy over his expenses had been forced to a conclusion had been “peremptory”.
Referring to Mr O’Donoghue’s €400 limousine journey between two Heathrow terminals, he said: “Often there are times, you cannot make a second flight, when you’re actually transiting . . . if you have to come out and go to the terminal. I’m not excusing it but there are often reasons.”
Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan said reforming the Oireachtas expenses system would not help solve the financial crisis facing the country.
Mr Lenihan said Ireland was facing “a very serious fiscal crisis” and “the abolition of Oireachtas expenses wouldn’t solve that crisis in any degree”. While he conceded that the issue of TD expenses was important he said people need to focus “on the real issues” facing the country.
“We have to have trust and transparency in relation to them, that will be done and it will be done in a short timeframe,” said Mr Lenihan.
He was commenting on the report in yesterday’s Irish Times which revealed that Tom O’Higgins, the auditor charged with overseeing the regime of expenses and allowances for TDs and Senators, had complained in a resignation letter, disclosed to The Irish Times following a Freedom of Information request, that the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission had ignored his proposals for reform and left him with no option but to resign.