Minister for Public Expenditure spent €47 on toilet sign in €47,000 office makeover

24/07/11 1,925 Views 66 Comments

Image: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

MINISTER FOR PUBLIC Expenditure has spent over €47,000 in taxpayer funds refurbishing his constituency office in Wexford and ministerial office in Dublin.

The Sunday Times (subscription required) reports that the total figure includes €47.67 spent on a sign saying “Minister’s Toilet”.

Mark Tighe and Gavin Sheridan report that the minister’s bill also includes €1,219 for four flat-screen TVs and €359 for a new iPhone.

They also report that Howlin currently employs two special advisers at a cost of €197,337 per year.

TheStory.ie has published a detailed list of the expenses showing that six nameplates for Howlin’s department cost €2,288.11.

Late last month, Howlin called on the public to submit proposals on ways for the state to save money “across every area of government spending”. Submissions can be made via the department’s website.

Read the report by Mark Tighe and Gavin Sheridan in full in the Sunday Times (online subscription required) >

Get our free app for
the iPhone & iPad

Also available in
the Android Market

Short URL

Comments (66 Comments)

Leave a comment

Alan Hayes 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 4 130

Sure haven’t they been wiping their arses with our tax money for years! Until the old timers are gone and the culture of abusing public money really frowned upon, this will continue. Just like those who think the welfare state is their entitlement, many politicians feel spending for luxury is theirs.

Reply
- Derek Marten 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 2 43
  
  New Tea Station charge from OPW EUR7,638 incl. VAT
  
  What he fuccccccccccck???????What happened to a kettle and some tea bags????This is fucking RIDICULOUS??? Thats school books for 75 kids for the year or the dole for someone for 8 months or a years overtime for a qualified, hard-working nurse or garda!!!!!!!Taking the piss big time……. nothing changes!
- Alan Conroy 25/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 0 2
  
  You are wrong Derek, it was 7638 to buy the tea station and another 4,368 for the plumber & electrician so the tea station came to 12006 altogether!!
Colin Tyrrell 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 3 66

Does he have a ready-to-go iPhone? Extortion! Although I suppose they were more expensive when initially launched.

Does it say if they had to buy a pedestal for his toilet so he can reach it?

Reply
- Derek Marten 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 0 8
  
  what your not seeing is that each phone..for Howlin and the special ones are bill pay too!!so what are they totting up in bills too??????
Diego Attley 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 3 73

Getting the public to submit ways to save money. Absolutely shameless.

Reply
Eoghan Ryan 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 39 22

Is it now being suggested that the minister himself made tear purchases? That would be absurd – the fault here is with whatever lackey had the task of organising the refurbishment. Or do we think a good use of government time would be to have ministers rooting through the clearance baskets in B&Q?

Reply
- Diarmaid Twomey 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 5 78
  
  I agree with your point but do you not see the irony in it all considering his remit? He oversees public spending yet doesn’t oversee his own, hardly a glowing inditement of his work surely?
- Diego Attley 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 3 40
  
  I’d take it that he did oversee it because surely he would of had to sign off on it.
Vinny Doherty 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 5 66

Two advisors at 200 grand a year,whole he’s telling the rest of us struggling fools tighten your belts,politicians,no wonder nobody give a shit what they say anymore,bunch of greedy liars. All of them.

Reply
- Daniel Doran 25/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 7 1
  
  If they can find savings of only a million then they have paid for themselves and found us €600,000. It was stated many times that government would be ran like a business… Expert staff won’t work for peanuts when they can get more in the private sector. You pay peanuts you get monkeys. I applaud the minister for finding talented professionals willing to work with us. Sure, they make more than he does!
  
  I ‘d like to know how he got a new iPhone for only €359! They’re nearly €600 on the Apple store website.
  
  All in a ll this is just more sensationalist journalism. It would be different if he was traveling to horse races abroad like O’Donoghue did, wasting millions. I mean of course a new government department is going to need fitting out. I am sure the saving from abolishing, what was it, 9 committees that were abolished by this government and the significantly lower wage bill due to the cut in TD salary.
- Adrian O'Donnell 25/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 0 5
  
  Daniel, have a shave and get a life, will you? And for God’s sake, stop typing!!
Vinny Doherty 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 5 39

Maybe not eoghan,but i when your minister for public expenditure do you not think 200 grand on two advisors to tell him what to cut is a bit excessive?or what do we elect these fools to do?we elect them to make decisions themselves not pay 400 grand for it!sure anyone of us could do that job!this country continues to amaze,especially after where all our advisors got us in the past!

Reply
Rónán Ó Conchúir 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 6 40

There’s at least three phone companies giving iPhones for free!!!

Reply
- Derek Daly 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 9 4
  
  Only to new customers. Trust me, I’ve tried!
- John Butler 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 2 0
  
  To be fair, only accompanied by fairly onerous contracts. It’s more economical for individuals who have the cash to pay up-front for a sim-free one rather than an 18 month contract paying way over the odds every month.
  
  Aside from that, large organisations such as big business and the government departments tend to have special rates with mobile operators. They wouldn’t get the same upfront benefits (e.g. free phones) that individuals would but do save a lot of money on recurring costs.
Gis Bayertz 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 9 33

Maybe he can be flushed down that toilet?

Reply
- Lenny Sloane 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 4 40
  
  Well he’s definitely flushing taxpayers money down it.
Julie Swayne 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 7 39

Case of same old crap different government:/

Reply
dannymcgee 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 55 16

so what, they’re given a budget every year for expenses so they’re every right to spend it how they see fit……what needs to be done is to change the level of expenses they’re allowed get/claim for. Moaning about what’s already been spent is crying over spilt milk, write to your local TDs/Council Council members and put pressure on them to make lower expense a Dail issue thats the only way things like this will change………and 47 quid for a toilet sign isn’t much in fairness.

Reply
- Gunnar Dangle 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 33 9
  
  Totally agree with you!
- Derek Marten 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 11 25
  
  “……and 47 quid for a toilet sign isn’t much in fairness”………………………yep my mind has been made up…..you are a f*cking fool who deserves everything he gets!
- damien chaney 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 5 27
  
  Spot on Danny €47 for a toilet sign isn’t that much money, especially when it’s not coming out of your own pocket and the tax payer is funding it! Idiot
- dannymcgee 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 4 5
  
  @Derek, thanks you’ve made a valid point and you’re argument has completely changed my point of view.
  as for you @Damien thanks you’re really nice too any relation to dick? it’s not really coming out of your pocket, obviously you’ve no idea how the Irish tax system. Govt doesn’t only run on monies collected from our tax system, look it up ya might learn something.
  
  ya see the prob here is that most of ye will roar and shout at your laptop screens and not one of ye will bother yer arse sending a letter/email to your local TD asking them to make this a political issue.
  We’re a nation of moaners and groaners who do sweet FA about things any wonder we’re in such a mess?
  
  But @Derek and @Damien do you have any whirlwind ideas on how this issue can be sorted, or would you rather just hurl abuse again?
- Derek Marten 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 3 12
  
  So Brendan needed his office spruced up!Well how about capping what could be spent to start with.€47,000 euro is two years wages for some people to put it in perspective…on refurbishing an office….AN OFFICE!
  
  Here a sample of the expenses list with my changes in brackets! :)
  
  New Furniture charges supply and delivery of filing cabinets EUR4,781.44 (IKEA max €1000)
  New Tea Station charge from OPW EUR7,638 incl. VAT (Buy a kettle!and teabags! max €50)
  Plus EUR4,368 for Plumbing and Electrical Works incl. VAT (Use the toilet everyone else uses already!€0)
  Shredder for Constituency office in Wexford. EUR592.9 euros incl.VAT (Shredder max €150)
  Fax machine for Constituency office in Wexford. EUR317.02 euros incl.VAT (Fax Machine Max €150)
  Dictation Transcriber for Constituency office in Wexford. EUR675.18 euros incl.VAT (Speak slower you fuck!€0)
  Photo Copier for Constituency Office in Wexford EUR3,015 plus VAT = EUR3,648.15 (Copier Max €500)
  Key cut for Minister’s toilet EUR47.67 Euros incl. VAT. (Outrageous!Keys cut Max €8!!!)
  T.V. in room 1.20 appox EUR289.95 (One TV is enough Max €290)
  Power points/TV brackets in room 1.20 EUR84 euros plus VAT = EUR95.34
  Room 1.23 install two TV Units EUR42 euros plus VAT = EUR47.67 (None €0)
  Room 1.19 Hang notice board EUR21 euros plus VAT = EUR23.84
  Room 1.19 install digi lock on door EUR204.55 plus VAT = EUR232.16
  Room 1.23 Install digi lock on door EUR204.55 plus VAT = EUR232.16
  IPhone for Minister Howlin EUR359.37 (Buy it yourself Brendan you prick and claim bills only!/Cost €0)
  Sign for Minister’s toilet incl. VAT EUR47.67 Euros. (He doesnt have his own toilet!/ Cost €0)
  Hang three notice boards for staff member EUR42 euros plus VAT = EUR47.67.(A joke!10 mins work!/Cost€20max)
  Elevate desk in room 1.24 EUR84 euros plus VAT = EUR95.34. (What the fuck?!/Cost €0)
  Painting and Carpet for Room 1.14 EUR1,367 plus VAT EUR1,551.54 (Painting €400/Carpet €500/Cost €900max)
  Mobile Galaxy for Special Adviser EUR99.27 (Use your own phone like everyone else!Cost €0)
  Mobile Galaxy for Special Adviser EUR99.27 (Use your own phone like everyone else!Cost €0)
  Mobile for Private Secretary EUR99.27 (Use your own phone like everyone else!Cost €0)
  Mobile Galaxy replacement phone for Special Adviser EUR99.27 (original lost). (Your fault!Cost €0)
  6 Nameplates for new Department of PER EUR1,891 plus VAT =2,288.11. (Are they made of Gold?!6 quality signs made from Wood and some sort of weather proof metal/€100 each max/€Cost €600 including Labour)
  
  I have just saved the Office of Public Expenditure €18,425 in 10 minutes and this isn’t even the full list only a portion of it!!!!Im not a genius but they must be fucking stupid and nothing I’ve said is totally unreasonable
- Daniel Doran 25/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 13 2
  
  @ Derek these expenses don’t seem extreme for me. My company pays for my iPhone It would be unreasonable to expect me to use my personal phone for company business. €47,000 seems very cheap to fit out two offices.
- Derek Marten 25/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 0 9
  
  Ah yeah sure its only €50,000…its not as if the country is broke and needs that money for more important things like Healthcare or Job creation.I suppose he really can justify spending €7,500 on a Tea Maker and €5,000 on filing cabinets and €2,000 on signage!Yeah your right when you say “€47,000 seems very cheap to fit out two offices”……
  
  In case you didn’t already realise…….I am being sarcastic…..because I am wondering if we both live on the same Island with the same evident problems that our economy and country faces??If you think the minister in charge of Public Expenditure spending €50k refurbishing his offices (when we are stone broke) is good value….I have nothing further to say to you!Good Luck!
Donncha Lane 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 5 64

Why can’t he buy his phone using his wages like most people have to?

Reply
- Diego Attley 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 2 34
  
  Submit that one to him for saving money!
- Daniel Doran 25/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 5 1
  
  Because it’s a work phone, not a personal phone. He’s working after all. My employers paid for my iPhone that I use in work, they also provided me with a computer! The shock!
Bill Walsh 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 1 40

Another respectable political gobshite. His motto must be ‘do as I say, not as I do’.

Reply
Jim Daly 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 1 41

Is the sign in English only? Just wondering.

Reply
Ricky Connolly 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 25 5

On the ‘main stories’ panel on the frontpage, this article is placed higher than ‘Six shot dead in Texas at child’s birthday party’ and ‘Norway attacks suspect admits responsibility’

Reply
He's Himself 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 3 15

Politicians…They’re all the same.

Reply
gareth byrne 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 4 27

I wonder can i get an iphone from the dole.If he can get the tax payer to pay for his one why not all of us.

Reply
- Daniel Doran 25/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 10 3
  
  The dole isn’t a job you moron, being a minister is.
- Adrian O'Donnell 25/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 0 3
  
  Damian, reading your posts is a job, you absolute tool
Glenn Carroll 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 7 33

Who the fuck does this little tosser think he is… him and his buddies in government are determined to inflict as much pain as possible on avarage citizens, yet they are pissing away money on self indulgent shite and claiming it back in expenses… same old shite different shower of pricks! Im so angry right now.

Reply
- Jon McCulloch 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 0 10
  
  or… same shit, different arseholes.
Paul Kennedy 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 3 20

I dunno, I’ve never bought a sign for my toilet — maybe that’s just how much they cost.

Reply
- Donncha Burke 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 12 6
  
  It is an awful lot of steam over nothing…. The guy has to inform people where the toilet is…
- Paul Kennedy 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 1 18
  
  He might have gotten a deal in fairness, down from €50, with a free soap dispenser.
- Darren McCormack 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 1 11
  
  Me neither but the reason I haven’t bought one is because I know exactly where my toilet is and don’t need a sign to show me.
- Darren McCormack 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 1 9
  
  I understand from the article that the sign was for his own toilet.
- Daniel Doran 25/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 11 2
  
  @ Darren with all the shit that comes out of your mouth I am not surprised you know where the restroom is.
Derek Daly 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 2 13

Why did the office need to be refurbished? Or did it need to be?

Reply
- Dario Fo 25/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 0 5
  
  Cos it was a howlin disgrace…
Ryan Murphy 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 2 18

This is like something Sir Humphrey and his phalanx of civil service secretaries (none of whom did any typing), would get up to in Yes Minister.

The attention grabber is the personalised jacks sign, as is the notion that the Minister gets their own personal crapper, but I’m more concerned about the fact that we are subsidising two special advisors at a hundred g’s a year, each, that we get the honour of bankrolling the Minister’s own parish pump hq, and that of his colleagues, and that we get to pay full market rate for a new mobile when the old one goes out of fashion.

The supreme irony being that Howlin is supposed to be the Minister For Saving Money!

Actually, on the phone issue (which ties into the whole self assessment of expenses thing), in any private sector company, a deal is usually done with a mobile provider, with reduced rates, free replacement handsets, and a handy centralised billing system.

Why can’t the Oireachtais do the same? Any member (who can keep their number), goes on the package while they remain a member, and revert to their individual accounts when they vacate. The vast machinations of the Civil Service surely have some sort of a deal with Vodafone, O2 or whoever already, or at least they should…

Anyone who abuses the facility gets carpeted, just as my boss would do with me if I browsed this site or any other on the work phone all day. Simples.

Disgusted with Howlin, this kind of nonsense needs to be nipped in the bud by Enda, although he doesn’t have much of a record in this regard, sadly, as anyone who remembers his advice to a Garda, who had their career threatened by the West Cork dipso TD PJ Sheehan last year, when she refused to let him drive out the Dail gate after a session in the bar there. She was told in essence, “Sure, don’t mind him!”

Reply
- Derek Marten 24/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 4 18
  
  The need for special advisor’s clearly shows that politicians are in essence just political celebrities with no real qualifications for their portfolios!If they were qualified and able to handle their jobs.why would they need 2 people to advise them??It also shows insecurity in decision making, whereby they need advise and reassurance.Do we need people like that running our country???? FUCK NO!
Donncha Burke 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 1 9

He is the first minister to hold that office, it didn’t exist before

Reply
Jer O'G 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 8 8

Good purchasing. I would be happy to pay those prices !!

Reply
Mata Mata 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 1 2

Come on Minister you are a bit long in the tooth to be succered by OPD !

Reply
Derek Marten 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 0 10

Key cut for Minister’s toilet EUR47.67 Euros incl. VAT.????????????????????????????/

Reply
William Winters 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 1 9

Your Country, Your Cuts! Here’s a link to Minister Howlin’s website
http://per.gov.ie/comprehensive-review-of-expenditure/
Let’s give him a few ideas on how to save money!

Reply
Ed Appleby 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 3 11

Typical Champagne Socialist! Do as I say say not as I do, I have one top tip for him to save the taxpayers money… Pay for it yourself you f’n piss taking turd!

Reply
ian mc dermott 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 2 11

Why do we keep voting for these people? Time after time like a pendulum we swing from one big party to the other and back again.. They are noting but a shower of leaches on every hard working PAYE worker in the country”……… Sick of the lot of them!

Reply
jrbmc 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 3 8

Flush him down his toilet along with
The other turds!!!!

Reply
Itchy Brain 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 3 4

Absolute crook!

Reply
Dave Higgins 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 2 6

I’m sending a letter to my TD in the morning about this. This cretin needs to walk the plank. Or at the very least be made to make an attempt to justify these outrageous expenses. Spending 47k on refurb, while telling the gen pop to tighten their belts. Disgraceful.

Reply
Alco Holic 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 1 5

How much did he pay for toilet training?Special Advisor for doing No1 take willy out of trousers.Special Adviser for doing No2 take down trousers.Haughey and Ahern would be proud of you Minister,

Reply
Pete Lynch 24/07/11 #

Report this comment 1 6

I must admit im looking forward to hear him explain this one . There was a comment about a shredder and a dictation machine earlier . They need to be industrial size for a tds office , i dont think you realise the amount of confidential paperwork that goes through an office like that , but he’s taking the mick with just about everything else .

whats his secretarys drinking , turkish coffee ?

let them eat cake

Reply
- Alco Holic 25/07/11 #
  
  Report this comment 1 1
  
  Let him wipe his arse with the paper work then flush,save a few bob on a shredder and Royal tissue for the Royal Arse.
RP McMurphy 25/07/11 #

Report this comment 0 6

Little Sleveen…..and always was….

Reply
Ed Appleby 25/07/11 #

Report this comment 0 4

Can Howlin please supply receipts for ALL of the work undertaken and for ALL of the items he bought and charged to the public purse. Given that it IS the public who have borne the costs it is only right that the minister puts this information into the public domain (on his/or govt. website for example) for scrutiny by the people who have paid for it. It is NOT his money he has spent and I don’t recall the minister for expenditure’s office being ‘decentralised’ to Wexford either, funnily enough? wouldn’t be his constituency office by any chance? just a wondering out loud! If he refuses to do so then maybe he is doing a ‘Callelly’ and that given the cuts being implemented by his own govt. this is simply not acceptable. Minister Howlin it’s over to you so, lets see the receipts for this “office makeover”

Reply
Pete Lynch 26/07/11 #

Report this comment 0 0

how is this not in the papers ??? this is outrage !

Reply
Martin Neary 26/07/11 #

Report this comment 0 2

Minister Howlin is a thundering disgrace. Worse, the spending on his craphouse has undermined Fuhrer Kenny’s economy drive and drawn attention to the fact that he does not want to share his toilet facilities with others, not even with those who voted for him.

Reply

Add New Comment

Log in to comment:

Share This Comment on Facebook or Twitter

Most Popular Today

1	Column: Parents bringing their children to be kneecapped. Yes, this is Ireland. 10,267 69

2	Applause in auction room as woman buys back brother’s repossessed home 9,497 68

3	Woman died after drinking vinegar in botched home abortion 8,655 8

1	Business Insider spoke to someone who bought $100m in Facebook shares on Friday. He was angry. 5,420 22

2	Eurozone countries ‘warned to plan for Greek exit’ – report 3,254 32

3	Shareholders file lawsuit over Facebook flotation 2,718 9

1	Here’s the view from the new Croke Park skyline 6,416 34

2	Shay Given to go to London to see knee specialist 2,342 23

3	More good news: Ireland’s Puspure qualifies for Olympics 2,097 4

1	Man dressed as dead mother for six years in welfare fraud 7,649 21

2	How to… sip a pint of Guinness if you’re the King of Lesotho 5,393 25

3	Dancing on the streets of Baku: Jedward celebrate Euro qualification 4,324 41

Trending Tags

EDZERBAIJOHN

Dancing on the streets of Baku: Jedward celebrate Euro qualification

The 9 at 9: Wednesday

VIDEO: Jedward take on the Eurovision – Part II

REFERENDUM

Referendum roundup: 8 days to go

What do YOU want to know about the referendum?

NTMA: No access to ESM would mean no access to markets either

EU summit: Merkel rejects eurobonds as Britain rules out financial transaction tax

Eurozone countries ‘warned to plan for Greek exit’ – report

Vote No: The Treaty will bring the EU together – in economic stagnation

IRELAND

Human rights court rules that prisoners should be allowed to vote

For good this time: Murphy retires from international rugby

Expert views: What chance have Ireland got?

RTÉ

Mullen tells RTÃ� critics to ‘stop calling for heads’ in Reynolds dispute

Mullen tells RTÉ critics to ‘stop calling for heads’ in Reynolds dispute

The Daily Fix: Tuesday

Taoiseach to address the nation ahead of Fiscal Compact referendum

JOBSWATCH

38 per cent of JobBridge interns go straight into full-time jobs

70 jobs to be created in Dublin by gift voucher company

NAMA to invest €2 billion in unfinished developments, new construction sites

About Us

Corrections

Report Content

Policies

Please note that TheJournal.ie uses cookies to improve your experience and to provide services and advertising. For more information on cookies please refer to our cookies policy.

News images provided by Press Association and Photocall Ireland unless otherwise stated. Irish sport images provided by Inpho Photography unless otherwise stated. Wire service provided by Associated Press.

Journal Media does not control and is not responsible for user created content, posts, comments, submissions or preferences. Users are reminded that they are fully responsible for their own created content and their own posts, comments and submissions and fully and effectively warrant and indemnify Journal Media in relation to such content and their ability to make such content, posts, comments and submissions available. Journal Media does not control and is not responsible for the content of external websites.

Switch to Mobile Site

Tags

Tags