A holiday is the tonic prescribed after a prolonged period of stress - surely just what the doctor would order for Cabinet members after their bruising experiences of recent months. However a getting-away-from-itall vacation seems to be the furthest thing from their minds, or if not, they are simply not telling.
The "it's nobody's business other than their business" attitude is prevalent among ministerial spokesmen and spokeswomen. However, that comment, they stress, is not to be placed on the record and associated with their particular boss. Officially, breaks that don't require a passport or a few days at the Galway Races seem to be the "respectable" face of Cabinet holidaying. The only Minister willing to "admit" to a foreign holiday is the one who got into most trouble over last year's vacation, the Tanaiste, Ms Mary Harney. The response of her spokesman shows she has not lost her sense of humour over that episode or her recent travails.
"Having ruled out the Cayman Islands, she is now likely to go to Portugal," he revealed.
It is not known whether the Minister for Finance, Mr Charlie McCreevy, will be joining the Tanaiste and other friends this summer, as he has done for many years. His was the one spokeswoman who stated, on the record, that he "never discusses where he goes on holidays", as opposed to his having made no decision yet. Ms Harney's spokesman said he was not sure if Mr McCreevy would be joining the Tanaiste's party.
The Public Offices Commission Report, published this week, said last year's holiday by Ms Harney and Mr McCreevy in a villa owned by businessman Mr Ulick McEvaddy had presented a difficulty. The report made it clear that no breach of the Ethics Act was involved but said the case highlighted that a relative or friend can make gifts to an officeholder without being obliged to disclose them. It suggested that the parameters of what constitutes a friendship may have to be defined in legislation.
The response from the Department of Agriculture press office following a query on the plans of the Minister, Mr Joe Walsh, and those of his two Ministers of State, Mr Ned O'Keeffe and Mr Noel Davern, summed up the tone of the responses. "Mr Walsh has made no plans as of yet, Minister O'Keeffe has nothing arranged and Minister Davern has no plans either - he is likely to holiday in Ireland, if at all," said a spokeswoman.
It looks as if the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, may suffer from the empty-nest syndrome this year. As usual he is planning a break in Kerry - Sneem and Dingle - but does not know yet whether his daughters, Georgina and Cecilia, will be joining him, since they are grown up and busy with their own lives.
The Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms Mary O'Rourke, is also Kerry-bound. Health Minister Mr Micheal Martin will spend a few weeks in Courtmacsherry in Co Cork with his family. The Minister for the Environment, Mr Noel Dempsey, "hasn't decided yet". The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Brian Cowen, "has no arrangements made". The Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Ms Sile de Valera, "has nothing planned as yet, she may stay in Clare, but will definitely be staying out of Dublin".
There are "no details yet" of the holiday plans of Education Minister Dr Michael Woods. His colleague in the Department of Defence, Mr Michael Smith, "hasn't decided yet". The Minister for the Marine, Mr Frank Fahey, will attend the Galway Races before departing for a break in Ballyconneely in Connemara with his family.
The Minister for Social Welfare, Mr Dermot Ahern, will also go to the races, but apart from that "has no plans at this stage". The same applies to the Minister for Justice, Mr John O'Donoghue. The Minister for Tourism and Sport, Dr Jim McDaid, has no plans apart from spending some time in his native Donegal.
Meanwhile, the Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, will holiday in September in Italy. Labour leader Mr Ruairi Quinn will spend three weeks in August in Roundstone, Co Galway. The President, Mrs McAleese, and her family will be spending that month at their holiday home near Carrick-on-Shannon.
