Cabinet split over their holiday destinations

It may have been the wettest summer since the Flood and the cries of "rip-off Ireland" remain a perennial disincentive, but Ireland remains a favoured holiday destination for members of the Government.

While the rest of the country has been clearing out to escape the incessant rain, there is no place like home for members of the Cabinet, notably Taoiseach Bertie Ahern who is something of a creature of habit, holidayed as he has done for the last 20 years in Kerry.

He stayed at the Parknasilla Hotel on the cusp of the Ring of Kerry where, according to some reports, two barrels of Bass were laid on for him. He likes the routine, although the presence of his two grandsons, Rocco and Jay, would have made for a more lively holiday than of late.

Another Cabinet veteran to stay in Ireland was the Minister for Arts, Culture and Tourism Séamus Brennan who holidayed in his native Galway.

The new Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan also spent his holidays in Galway, staying on the island of Inisbofin with his family.

However, the only west of Ireland politician in the Cabinet, Éamon Ó Cuív, was "out of the country", according to a Government source.

The Minister for Trade and Employment Micheál Martin never has to stray far, staying, as he always does, at the holiday home he owns in the west Cork village of Courtmacsherry.

The new Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan took his holidays in the "south of Ireland", according to a spokeswoman and a short break in France.

As the Cabinet's most seasoned globetrotter, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern is likely to have seen staying at home as more of a holiday than going abroad. He's is a keen windsurfer and golfer who prefers to take his holidays not far from his native Dundalk.

The most popular other destination for Cabinet members was Portugal. It was the choice of the Minister for Finance Brian Cowen who had a cut at those who had a cut at him for staying on holiday when the crisis in the financial markets happened. "Obviously you know I've been away on holidays . . . I've been away to reflect," he told the Humbert Summer School.

Another who faced the now inevitable summer clamour to return home to sort out one crisis or another was the Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey who was faced with the Shannon controversy while on holidays. He too was in Portugal as was the Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan who had to face up to the foot-and-mouth crisis in Britain on her return.

The new Minister for the Environment John Gormley travelled abroad, but only as far as the Pembrokeshire coast in Wales, ensuring his holidays did not carry a huge carbon footprint.

Another who did not travel too far was the Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea who ironically enough was on holidays in London when the furore over the Heathrow slots broke.

The Minister for Health Mary Harney famously announced her resignation as Progressive Democrats leader following a holiday to Italy last year. This year she's been in Spain.

The Minister for Education Mary Hanafin ventured furthest afield. She is currently visiting family friends in America.

Martin Cullen has been known to visit Spain and Portugal in previous years, but a spokeswoman said his holiday destination this year was "a private matter".