Dáil debates
Wednesday, 24 May 2006
Ceisteanna — Questions.
Departmental Expenditure.
11:00 am
John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 11: To ask the Taoiseach the annual figures for moneys paid to a person and a company (details supplied) since 2002 for services to his Department; if he will justify this expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14384/06]
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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When I am due to speak in Dáil Éireann or I am about to be interviewed for television, I make the normal preparations that are standard for all those who participate in television programmes, just as successive Taoisigh have done since the introduction of the televising of Dáil proceedings in 1990. The rates paid to the providers of the service are in line with current SIPTU rates. The annual amount paid in respect of the preparations since 2002 is detailed in the following table:
| Year | Amount paid for preparation for television appearances to the person referred to in the question | Amount paid for preparation for television appearances to the company referred to in the question |
| € | € | |
| 2002 | 3,887.69 | 7,857.08 |
| 2003 | 4,017.99 | 14,657.44 |
| 2004 | 9,782.44 | 15,870.38 |
| 2005 | 7,589.30 | 17,517.92 |
| 2006 (to end of March) | 1,503.36 | 2,561.30 |
John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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It seems from figures I have seen previously that the Taoiseach is spending hundreds of euro on what are called "make-up services" every week.
Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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He is looking well on it.
John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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How does the Taoiseach expect taxpayers, many of whom are lying on trolleys, to pay such an exorbitant sum to meet the cost of his vanity, essentially? Is it not extraordinary that it seems, from the figures I have seen, that the Taoiseach spends more money on make-up than many of the ladies in the Cabinet? What sort of priorities does the Taoiseach have when he is heading around like the queen of Drumcondra?
John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Given that this year is the 80th anniversary of the founding of Fianna Fáil, what does the Taoiseach think the founder of that party, Éamon de Valera——
John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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——would say about a Taoiseach who spends hundreds of euro on make-up every week?
Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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That question does not arise from Question No. 11.
Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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He would tell him to use Vichy.
John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Does the Taoiseach agree that we could now call him the L'Oréal Taoiseach, as he spends this money because he is worth it?
Mary Hanafin
Tom Kitt (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Gormley could do with some make-up.
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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When Deputy Gormley is Taoiseach some day——
John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I thank the Taoiseach for his confidence.
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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——he will find that the services of two people who are paid on a per diem basis are made available in the Department of the Taoiseach. Their services are usually made available two days a week — they are usually the Dáil days. One of the staff in question has been there since the start.
Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Is that why the Taoiseach will not come in on Thursdays?
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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If I came in on Thursdays, we would have to pay for three days.
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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He cannot come into the House unless he is wearing make-up.
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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It would be even more expensive then.
Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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We will pay for it if the Taoiseach agrees to come in.
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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They are paid the SIPTU rate for the job they do.
Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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We will pass around a hat if the Taoiseach comes in.
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I do not think these people should be fired to satisfy Deputy Gormley.
Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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They could work in the health service.
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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They provide a service and they do their job.
Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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We could decentralise them.
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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They are paid the SIPTU rate. I avail of the same services as everyone else who appears on television. I understand that Deputy Gormley always very carefully goes to the make-up room when he is in RTE.
Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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One has to go there whether one likes it or not.
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is not a question of "whether one likes it or not". Deputy Gormley always goes to the RTE room and uses make-up.
John CartyBertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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He has never been known not to do so in advance of any of his many television appearances.
John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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How does the Taoiseach know all this?
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I know because I checked.
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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He must be the fly on the wall in RTE.
John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I must say the Taoiseach has done some extraordinary research on my habits.
Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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He is engaging in a security offensive.
John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Would it be too much trouble for the Taoiseach to apply his make-up himself?
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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We could not have that.
John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Does he need all of these people?
Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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That does not arise.
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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We could not expect him to do that.
John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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What is the story here?
Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is a frivolous question.
John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Can the Taoiseach give us a breakdown of how much it costs per week? I have seen a figure of €480.
Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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It is a long-standing rule that a supplementary question is not in order if the answer to it has already been circulated in response to the original question.
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Can we have an estimate of the price per gallon?
John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I know this is embarrassing for the Taoiseach.
Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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I have allowed Deputy Gormley a fair amount of latitude.
John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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To spend €480 a week on make-up is extraordinary at a time when there are people lying on trolleys, when we do not have proper schools and when we have extraordinary deficits in our services.
Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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You have made your point.
John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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It amounts to nothing more than decadence.
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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The Romans were like that too.