O'Donoghue apologises over costs

Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue has issued a full apology for the “considerable” costs he incurred in his previous role as a Government minister.

Mr O’Donoghue was Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism from 2002 until 2007. His expenses, particularly for foreign travel and accommodation, have been the subject of media coverage for several months.

The total cost has been reported as €550,000. Some of the more controversial expenditure items included hotel bills of almost €1,000 a night in Venice and Paris; a €250 water taxi in Venice; and many thousands of euro in limousine hire on various trips including a €400 bill for transfer between two terminals in Heathrow airport. His wife Kate Ann accompanied him on many of the trips abroad.

The Kerry TD issued a three-page statement to all 165 TDs on Monday in which he expressed “regret” for the costs incurred.

However, he did stopped short of a formal apology, insisting the spending was “legitimate and in accordance with the Department of Finance guidelines”. He acknowledged that some of the costs appeared high but said it would not be proper for him to become involved in public debate. He also insisted he had not been informed by his officials at the time of the level of spending.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen expressed his full confidence in the Ceann Comhairle.

Fine Gael and Labour criticised the statement as unsatisfactory and insufficient and, while they did not call for his resignation, demanded he issue a full apology.  Mr O'Donoghue insisted yesterday his expression of regret amounted to an apology. “Insofar as one regrets something, I think that is an apology,” he said in Listowel.

In his detailed statement this afternoon, Mr O’Donoghue reiterated his stance that the costs were legitimate but said he was "sorry" and "embarrassed" that they had been incurred.

“I was not aware of the cost of these arrangements and when I read the detail in the past weeks I was embarrassed that such costs were associated with some of the arrangements made on my behalf,” he said. “I sincerely regret that, although on official duty, such considerable costs were incurred. I apologise for this.”

He added: “I sincerely regret that I did not pay more attention to the cost of the arrangements provided for me. I was fully focused on my duties as an office holder at the time and would not be concerned with this level of detail.”

In today's letter, he said "context is everything" when discussing ministerial expenses. "Some Ministers will incur greater costs than others by virtue of the nature of their portfolio. That is an unavoidable fact of life."

He repeated his assertion that all his expenditure was within the existing statutory framework and was subject to an annual audit. At no stage during his tenure as minister were any of his expenses challenged or questioned and he "made no financial profit from the incurring and defraying of these costs to third parties," he added.

The Ceann Comhairle said he fully appreciates how the cost of executing ministerial duties would be controversial amid the current economic crisis when people were losing their jobs. "I can fully understand how many people were shocked to read some of the detail. I apologise to these people, in particular, for the disquiet this controversy has caused."

Mr O'Donoghue said he intends to cooperate "with renewed vigour" with other TDs and the Minister for Finance to pursue reforms and efficiencies in spending by politicians.

"I have asked the relevant officials in the Oireachtas, as a matter of urgency, to review procedures in order to ensure that such expenditure is strictly controlled and that there is an appropriate emphasis on economy in relation to the Office of the Ceann Comhairle in the future," he said.

He said he has asked officials within his office to place the records of all travel and accommodation costs he has occurred since his election as Ceann Comhairle in the Dáil Library.

"I hope that my statement today will enable Members of the Dáil to concentrate on more pressing issues facing the State," Mr O'Donoghue concluded.