How it came to this
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WHILE there have been ample details in the Sunday newspapers of the almost three quarters of a million euros clocked up by John O'Donoghue and his staff whilst Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism and Ceann Comhairle, it's the attention to finer details that created many of the more alarming headlines.
For instance, a £1 donation to UNICEF on January 21, this year. Despite racking up a bill at the Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa in Edinburgh to the sum of £801.70, it's the minuscule donation that got chins wagging. The donation, which guests are aware of upon check-in and can opt out of, resulted in a €1.08 bill to the taxpayer. This was one of the details John O'Donoghue addressed in his resignation speech to the Dáil on Tuesday. He simply did not see this bill.
O'Donoghue stated on Tuesday that he "did not claim back this £1."
There's was also the matter of a €293 bill for a working lunch with Leas Ceann Comhairle Brendan Howlin, hours after Mr O'Donoghue took office. The figure followed lunch at Shanahan's steak restaurant on St Stephen's Green and has sparked debate over just how much a steak — seems to be in and around €57 — at the popular city restaurant would cost.
Most commented on, though, was the use of a chauffeur-driven car to transport Mr O'Donoghue between Terminal 3 and Terminal 1 at Heathrow. The cost to the taxpayer for the January 24, 2006, journey came to €472. The trip takes three minutes on the airport's free shuttle.
While travel may have been an integral part of his previous tourism remit, more than €100,000 was also clocked up in foreign flights, hotels, transport and subsistence with his wife Kate Ann on 14 separate trips as Ceann Comhairle. These include: Edinburgh, 2007: €1,728 Paris, 2007: €6,779 Prague, 2007: €1,840 Berlin, 2008: €1,561 Houston, New Orleans, Washington, 2008: €19,867 Capetown, 2008: €16,468 Paris/Toulouse, 2008: €3,842 Lisbon, 2008: €4,120 Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, 2008: €15,230 Paris, 2008: €6,126 Belfast, 2008: €49 London, 2008: €1,118 Edinburgh, 2009: €1,097 Paris, 2009: €2,238 Savannah, Charleston, 2009: €7,206
