This man becomes more idiotic and hypocritical every single day.

Please advise us on a particular issue this “adviser” advised you on and we can see if its value for money. I can advise you Leo, you are a tit …. and that’s for free.

Why don’t we just elect the advisors and be done with it? Our politicians are obviously morons.

So he didn’t break the rules-his case was an “exception” to them.

Varadkar, you’re a flippin’ disgrace.

I am unemployed and know nothing about running a country. Can I have an advisors job too? I’ll do it for just the 92k

What exactly is this guy advising him on? He was a corporate/public affairs director for a pharmaceutical lobby group and now he’s advising the Minister of Transport & Tourism. I would like to know why he is worth the extra 13k that he is getting. Also considering the communications fuck up in Davos this week whoever is advising Enda Kenny has some serious questions to answer.

hypocrite

What’s the point of a pay cap if it’s so easy to ignore it?
Doesn’t the government realise that the country is broke?

Oops, sorry.. Again I seem to have been asleep in dreamy land where things actually run the way they are supposed to and politicians don’t lie..

He must have very tiny feet to be able to get both of them into his mouth so easily…

I don’t get it.. What does their previous salaries have to do with anything? If I quit my job tomorrow I wouldn’t expect to walk into a new job and be paid the same amount just because that’s what I was earning before.

Rules may not have been broken but the hypocritical nature of and cronyism within the government is becoming more than apparent.

Just more crap, excuses and lies from out traitorous Government!
The only difference being, its Leo’s time right now.
Who’s next up from them with the double-standards?

Liars and Traitors!

I see he’s still digging this particular hole, embarrassing stuff

Never seen Labour so quite in all my life since they came into power.
It’s as if there just happy enough to be in power and don’t want to rock the boat by saying or doing anything against FG.Let me tell the boys in labour something that won’t cost 100,000euro.You will never ever get into power again.You promised to look after the normal working classes and you have failed.Shame on you and FG.Same crap and bull shit different name.

If ministers feel that particular advisors are necessary to help the minister carry out his portfolio, and the advisor would need to be offered more money to leave the private sector, the difference in pay should be deducted from the ministers pay. Easy simple equitable solution, whilst also providing a disincentive for ministers to hire cronies at over the odds prices.

Clown, take a bow Enda, another gobshite you gave some peer too!

Take take take, nom nom nom, money money money. Stinks of it.

He is once again totally out of step with the mood of the nation.
I once had high hopes that he would be an able and effective representative.
He meddles, fudges and fidgets..
Lost the plot long ago..
Long holiday for Leo..

I see in yesterday’s Irish Times that Govt Chief Whip Paul Kehoe also has an advisor. Can anybody tell me why a Chief Whip needs to waste over €80k per annum on an Advisor? Scandalous!

To think I actually thought this guy would be competent and good as a minister. He’s just another egomaniac waffling and bluffing whilst talking to us all like we’re idiots.

It’s getting to the point now, where I’d rather see a rubbish headline about some Z-List celebrity, than Varadkar.

I don’t believe a word out of that man’s mouth.

If your advisor is that brilliant, pay him the extra out of your own pocket Varadkar. There’s plenty of people out there who could and would do that job for less than the salary cap, why should the tax payer have to fork out just so you can look after your own?

I really don’t get this ”oh but he could have earned so much more if he worked in the private sector” argument.

If the advisor in question wants to earn that much then he should remain in the private sector.

The advisor can’t have his cake and eat it, I don’t see why the taxpayer should have to fund this ridiculous wage.

They just don’t get it, we are getting sick shit of their arrogance and patronising manner, they treat us like stupid sheep and we keep taking it. Bring on an Irish Spring and let’s clean out this rubbish.

To the Journal, you choice of pictures is always comical. The lad is a plank.

Excuse my ignorance but why was he given the job in the first place if he needs an advisor, surely we are paying enough for one man to do the job he should be qualified to do without having to pay a second man to sit on his shoulder…

This salary level is insane. In this economy he could get three very well paid advisers for that amount of money. I dont care how good you are, you are not worth that when there are so many highly educated and more than able people ready to do the job for a lot less. Market economy 101. This is a clear case of jobs for the boys, nothing else. He should resign.

jaysus i was just enjoying my coffee until i read varadkar the impailers gaffe for the day is there no way of stopping this
foot in mouth idiot…

He’s done it again!

Leo V just said on Sunday RTE News that he believes referendums are not democratic.
The man is living on another planet!

Mmm. So last week he said a bomb would explode over non payment of bondholders. And this week it is ok to break a budget cap on salaries. Banana republic.

That’s Right Leo!!

Dish Our Money Out To Your Chums!!

Does that include the lavish expenses they get??? Cracks are starting already!

A doctor masquerading as a transport minister hires a healthcare professional to advise him.
Fucking unbelievable, Leo you are an incompetent idiot.

Why not sack Leo and replace him with his advisor and save hundreds of thousands.
If they need advisors we don’t need them.
Grow a pair and make your own decisions Leo that’s what you are well paid to do ( jobs for the boys) Arrrrrrr!!!

FFS theres a pay cap there, but ALL the ministers are requesting special arragements to break it.

why have a cap at all, or is the cap just optics to fool the public?

they’re a disgrace.

BTW if the ‘advisor’ decides to leave a job paying 135k for 92k…. thats his choice, he knows the rules before he decides!

How is this crook only 32! All that lying and cheating must put years on you.

He knew the salary before he took the job,why would he take such a drop to work for this muppett??

The pay cap rule is a load of bollox.
Did he ever hear of looking around for a cheaper adviser and living with in our troubled economy?
Here’s what FG/teacher party pay with our tax money for advisers:(think you may need Microsoft word to open)
http://www.finegael.org/upload/file/policyarchive/Special%20Advisors.doc

And he goes onto say
“but exceptions were to be made where someone was coming in from a job in the private sector where they were paid a lot more.”
Brain Murphy worked in FG on some Chair of the Fine Gael National Executive is that private sector?
http://www.politicalworld.org/showthread.php?t=8779&page=10

Pay the advisor to advise the civil service and bin the wanker.

This Government and this Minister are morally bankrupt …

Publish the rule-book Mr Varadkar, where is the open & honest politics we were promised, or was that just another cynical exercise in vote getting?

We were promised change and I can see the change alright, as in there is nothing new. 6 Ministers have now upped the pat of their advisers despite the pay-cap. One rule for us, one rule for them, that must be in the rule-book so? Is that the way of it Mr Varadkar?

Prick

Why do we have civil servants minsters and advisers why not pay the advisor and sack the rest.
If leo the liar can’t do the job without this advisor why did Enda give him the job.
Jobs for the boys is the first principle of FF FG and labour

Leo, noonan and Enda have all shown in the last week or two they are unfit for purpose. They do not care about the Irish people all they care about is self serving issues. God help this poor country, we have elected mistake after mistake and we will have to pay for it for years to come.

Leo V. What part of the wage cap do You not understand 92K is the max to be paid Not 135K that is almost a 50% if a pay increase Get a grip Leo…Well I would prefer if you would just get to he’ll out of politics you have proved to be a liar and a cheat your services are not needed anymore. We can employ someone more suitable.no need to clear your desk so as it can be checked for all that you made a muck of just close the door after you and see any of your colleagues take them with you

Gobshites

Being in the troika quick – 3 guys who do not need advisors at 135k and seem to know exactly how to get our country back living within our means. Leo – I hope as minister for transport you get the advisor to speed up the mainline trains as the average speed of our trains is 42.3mph which is the worst in Europe after 4 eastern European countries. The mainline trains run at half the speed of the London to Edinborough train in 1922. They were steam trains at that time. Will the head of Irish rail get a good bonus and pension ? He should be FIRED.

Animal Farm logic from Leo. All animals are equal, except some are more equal than others. Different faces at the table, same generous menus shuffled around.

*sigh*

Here we go again…so much for changing things…

Minster Leo down in the pub with his mate.
Minster Leo : how’s work these days.
Mate: ah it’s not as good as it use to be, you nearly have to work for a living these days.
Minster leo: I’ve a great idea, I’ll get you a job for 130K + expenses and you don’t have to do anything cos I have senior civil servants and a department to all the work.
Mate: you’d never get away with that.
Minster Leo: no seriously it’s already sorted. We have a Hugh majority and labour are lining their own nest so for the next 5 years we can milk this country for whatever we can and the best bit is I get a massive pension for ripping the guts out of the country

Can’t help wondering why some one would take a 30k drop in salary to join what many would say is a sinking ship? Is it an act of patriotism borne of ones love for their country?
Or it is a loss on paper, but a stepping stone to a even better gravy train in Europe because don’t forget what people see as incompetence here seems worthy of reward by Europe as long as it keeps us on the preferred path. Ask Kevin Cardiff.

eh leo it clearly breaks rules that have been clearly set out.
they are the rules you have to follow,you are such a silly little man and just cant see that can you.
fossets circus is coming to town soon,you should enrol ASAP.
just do us all a favour and resign.

What’s all this advisor shite ? Fu*cking advisors. If these shower of fu*ckfaced TDs want promotions to ministerial positions & greater power & salary,do the fu*king job & use the people employed in the dept already to fu*king advise you or if you are not up to it just sit on the backbench & shut the fu*k up you shower of egomania boring bunch of geebags. Advisors my boll*x… Rant over sorry,I made the mistake of checking out my bank account online

So Leo reckons that he has broken no rules ??? he must have got that nugget of information from one of his advisers.

Fr Ted and Dougal robbing the poor box again and again and again.

The man deserves that money, we all agree to it, yap yap yap amongst ourselves, so Government carry on thinking we don’t mind advisors getting this wage. So stop your moaning to each other and vent your anger in a letter to the Enda’s office.

What’s the points in imposing caps if exceptions are made!?

This gov’t has lost their credibility. Time to arrange a coup…..

Are we,as an Irish nation stupid or what.They are all at it.I wonder how much pension the adviser got when he left his job,plus the “golden handshake”.I wont matter to the adviser at all how much he earns with leo.He only has to work for a few months,then resign,get a golden handshake,and a pension for life paid for by us mugs for the rest of his life.You only have to look at all the people who retired to see this,most of them in disgrace,but still on massive pensions.All of them are back in full time work,again on high earnings,while we pay the pensions.when are we going to say,Enough is Enough.We all sit here typing each day,and really we should be out there doing something.We all have to stop this country for a day or two,if just to show them that we are the people.If we dont do something soon,you can bet your life they will carry on till we do.If everyone gets just ten of their friends not to watch Rte for a week,you will see what happens.If we dont pay our Mortgages,they are fucked.We have the power to change things.We are Irish,and we should remember,we are a proud nation.I know I am up for it.

Leo V forgets that TDs are meant to be leading by example so he needs to be seen to be staying within the pay cap agreed, just proves that some of our elected reps are as thick as a bloody post. Leo the jockey called, he wants his bollox back. Bloody neck on this fella.

He did not break any rules.
The rule says the maximum an advisor should be paid is €92k unless Leo says otherwise :-)
To be fair to the advisor, he clearly has his work cut out for him, he’ll earn every penny working for this donkey.

If only we could comment on goings on in castleknock hotel !!!!!!

Varadkar. Once an up and coming bit of new blood, but for the last 6 months shows himself to be as bad as any politician this country has had. A total lapdog for toothless Kenny.

As an afterthought;if we dont pay our mortgages,the bankers get no bonus.If we dont watch Rte,their salarys come down. tell me gobshite kenny who has the power.

I dont even know what to say…and that rarely happens…. WTF? Has this man no concience (?) at all? It is absolutely … it is a disgrace … one of the people which the RECESSION will hit VERY VERY hard…if god is in good mood he will let me watch…

pay cuts for ordinary public servants..forcing experienced garden nurses etc to retire..no replacement patrol cars..rural garde stations closing..wards mothballed..the list of cutbacks us endless yet despite the talent available within departments are ignored for favour of special advisors on a kings ransom…if I could is jump ship itmrw!

Maybe we should start electing people into jobs according to their ability to do a job, not what party they are affiliated with, then they wouldn’t have to hire advisers for obscene amounts of money!! Makes sense to me. That’s what would happen in business, and our economic future depends on those elected so surely it should b the best placed for each dept, that gets the job.????

At least Fianna Fail were accountable for their incompetence and paid the price. This lot don’t care and act like they’re untouchable. I thought public servants were there to advise Ministers? Either the public servant can’t do their job or Vlad the Waster can’t. At this rate the next ballot paper will have to have a ‘None of the above’ box.

Since the ministers want to pritivise all our state assess. Lets start at the top they dont seem to be able to do the job having to get advisors to make their decisions for them. privitise the
Dail out to people that are capable of making a decision. portfoilo for health, the countries top doctor, and so on.
Just a ramdom idea that someone thats takes on a very important area is qualified to do so.

It worries me that the minister defends his position with “it doesn’t break the rules” He actually thinks that is a defense? It doesn’t break the rules??? What happened to our representatives leading by example. That is what leaders do!
A representative is one who speaks on behalf of the people:

1. One that serves as an example or type for others of the same classification.
2. One that serves as a delegate or agent for another.
3.
a. A member of a governmental body, usually legislative, chosen by popular vote.
b. A member of the U.S. House of Representatives or of the lower house of a state legislature.
adj.
1. Representing, depicting, or portraying or able to do so.
2. Authorized to act as an official delegate or agent.
3. Of or characteristic of government by representation.
4. Like or typical of others of the same class.

Wow said madam Clinton about this fella

politicians are arrogant smug c**ts and this varadkar gimp is the perfect example of that.unfortunately we are to blame as we never kick up serious stink when any kind of injustice by bankers or politicians is done,instead the best we can do is have a peaceful march or call joe duffy!we deserve what we get because we accept it and they know we will always accept it and that is the sad reality GET USED TO IT!

http://www.eolasmagazine.ie/advising-government

Look how many advisors Simon Coveney has!

The rule books of Ireland have been falsified to introduce opinions over 8000 times since 1922.

You cannot comply or breach falsified rule books, for they should not exist.

In Mr Varadkar’s opinion he did not break the rules and he is probably right.

his special advisor has been doing a great job thus far…i wonder if it was him that suggested talking about bombs and stuff!! anx if got paid more than €135,000 in the private why is still not working in the private sector…no civil servant/td should be paid more than a 100k.

Keith I’m not disagreeing with you but SF are not or have been in government.
One thing about FF was at least they conned us into thinking we were having good times while they screwed the country. This government doesn’t even give us a feel good factor as they line their pockets

ah yeah…special advisor. justify why you need him Varadkar. This will outrage us until the next outrageous thing they do comes along. then it’s forgotten.

You all voted fg & labour what did you expect ??

….and the show goes on…..

I have never had the ambition to become a Ministerial advisor but some of the contributors above can be certain that their applications would be rapidly binned given the nature of their crude vulgarity and libellous comments.
Our Governmental system accepted the need for advisors many years ago and differs little from other democracies in that regard.
Why then do we get the vicious comments that ignore realities without any form of balance.

Ah sure, we all break the rules sometimes.

An let’s be honest about it. Which one of you would not grab that job with that Salary if you were offered it? I would be in there in a New York minute and I would not give a shite about rules and regulations or what any idiot wrote about me on this or any other website. Wake up folks, these people or no more dishonest than you or I. Deny it if you like but we all know the truth.