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Opposition criticise Taoiseach for spending €30,000 on photography

Image: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland

OPPOSITION TDS HAVE criticised the Taoiseach’s Department for spending just over €30,000 on photography in the past year.

Fianna Fáil TD Niall Collins said that the figure was far too high and accused the government of being engaged in “spin over substance”.

However the Taoiseach noted that the spending was down by over €50,000 since 2008 when €83,398 was spent on photography in one year by the Department of the Taoiseach.

He also said that major events such as the visit by President Barack Obama in 2011 contributed to the total cost of €30,629.

Niall Collins, speaking on Morning Ireland this morning, said that the decreased cost was “no defence”.

Answering the question in the Dáil yesterday, Enda Kenny said that the department increasingly uses its own staff to take photographs rather than paying for professional photographers, which has helped to cut down costs.

He told the Dáil: “We have tried to reduce photography costs by having in-house photography done by staff, except in the case of formal State visits and high level opportunities”.

The most spent on photography in any month in the last year was June 2011 when €14,051 was spent. No money at all was spent on photography in April and October last year or in January of this year.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, who asked the Taoiseach about the spending in the Dáil, told Enda Kenny: “The Taoiseach looked resplendent in all the photographs. My compliments to the photographer”.

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Comments (43 Comments)

  • Leslie Alan Rock 15/02/12 #
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    Here we go again. More waste. If i had 30k i’d pay him to keep his mug out of the papers.

    Reply
  • Leo McCabe 15/02/12 #
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    Fianna Fail keep hurling the dirt but it just keeps bouncing back!

    Reply
    • Ciaran Whyte 15/02/12 #
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      What has FF hurling the dirt got to do with the FACT that the current Taoiseach spent €30k? So what if it was more in previous years or with previous Governments?

      My wise old mother used to tell me, two wrongs don’t make a right.

      It’s pretty pathetic that you’re trying to politicise an issue of waste

    • Leo McCabe 15/02/12 #
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      Ciaran, would you suggest that the current government don’t archive major national events such as the visit of Obama and the Queen of England in the correct way? And they are just the “ultra” high profile events. if they were to leave it to private press organisations to do so the country would not have ownership of these records and surely would have to pay royalties for future use in historical documents and educational material. €30k is not a lot for external photographic services in a year… about €80 per day. I’m all against waste at government or any level but I think it’s laughable the way fianna fail are digging up the dirt without looking back at their history in government. Michael Martin is accusing kenny of spin but sure what was this but a failed attempt at spin.

  • Billygoatmuff 15/02/12 #
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    Endas response: Look at what Fine Feckers did. No Mr Kenny, you are steering this ship and we get NO comfort it looking at another one that is on the rocks. I would also prefer not to have photographic evidence of yourself, Kermit, etc..

    Reply
  • jimbo 15/02/12 #
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    This is so stupid and rediculous,and a waste of money..

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  • Patrick Slattery 15/02/12 #
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    Okay, next time, I’ll do it for free.

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  • Paul C 15/02/12 #
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    What about the millions squandered by the opposition on voting machines, exorbitant gardening fees, luxury state cars and foreign trips? €30k is absolute pittance compared to what was blown by FF in the past decade. Perspective please.

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    • Billygoatmuff 15/02/12 #
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      €30,000, pittance? Paul, we are BUST.

    • Ciaran Whyte 15/02/12 #
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      Yeah… Perspective.

      So, we should keep wasting money until we reach the levels of waste of the previous Government and then complain?

    • Paul C 15/02/12 #
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      So what, you’re advocating firing the/a state photographer at a cost of €30k p/yr? Great, I’m sure we could get a lad off Done Deal to follow the Taoiseach around with a Tesco disposable.

    • Bernadette Dunne 15/02/12 #
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      Yes alot of waste then disgraceful but that was then and Kenny and labour came into power on promises that all that would change Yea more of the same BS 30000 that should cover 300 houses on the household tax

  • Miss Tree 15/02/12 #
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    Maybe it kept food on the table for a few people. Not saying it’s right… Just another way of thinking about it.

    Reply
  • Roddie Cleere 15/02/12 #
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    Excellent brown nosing there Mr Martin

    Reply
  • John Finn 15/02/12 #
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    A few years ago I was at a presentation given by then Taoiseach, Brian Cowen. He stood at a podium and gave his usual cliché ridden, consultant-speak (“going forward”, etc) speech. All the while the official photographer stood nearby taking endless photographs. The only conclusion I could come to was that it was less about capturing Cowen in action – a few photos would have sufficed – than in impressing on us lesser mortals how important he was, that every gesture and glance had to be preserved for posterity, and, of course, in playing to Cowen’s ego.

    I saw the same thing at a visit to a workplace by an EU Commissioner. Again, non-stop photography and a nice little earner for the professional concerned.

    The funny thing is that I could only find one photo of Cowen in a national newspaper following the event at which he spoke and none at all of the Commissioner.

    So, what happens to the thousands of photos taken of these dignitaries every year? Only a miniscule number ever get published. Which leads me to the conclusion that the capturing of images is of secondary importance and the main purpose of professional photographers being present at politicians’ events is simply to flatter the egos of the individuals concerned.

    Reply
  • John 15/02/12 #
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    Anyone remember how much the rat ahern spent on makeup? Vain shower of ugly f#%kers.

    Reply
    • Elrat 15/02/12 #
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      I think the bastard spent €80k on make up – no amount of make up could make Bertie look good – with that smirky face on him!
      I

    • Gerard Murphy 15/02/12 #
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      I propose we spend another few bob on good old Bertie.
      How much would a gallows and rope cost?
      I do believe that’s the penalty for treason.

    • Leo McCabe 15/02/12 #
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      A mate of mine interviewed Bertie early on ash Wednesday a few years ago. When Bertie realised there was a photographer in he room he disappeared off and came back 5 mins later with a smudge of black on his forehead. “Vera…. I need da ashes”

  • echancrure 15/02/12 #
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    Seems to me that official photos have to be taken, think about meeting a business man and in a few weeks sending him a photo of himself with the Taoiseach, as a thank you, as a reminder.

    Is that not worth it?

    Seems a good investment to me.

    Reply
  • Dominic Achom 15/02/12 #
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    What kind of photograph is that, that cost 30 rand?. Was it part of the troika deal or program for government. Here we go again. Did the IMF or EU sign off on this. I want to offer my services for free.

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  • Carlin Ite 15/02/12 #
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    Record of trade trips abroad, state visits, campaign trail pr etc. press photographers are usually sole traders. That money kept a few people in work, people that can’t claim unemployment assistance or what ever it’s called these days. Now excuse me I have to take a long shower after defending that shower of wxxxxxs

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  • Dominic Achom 15/02/12 #
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    But am offering my services for FREE, so as not to Borden the Tax payer. Fair is fair my friend.

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  • Melissa Knowles 15/02/12 #
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    A good photographer can charge 30k just for one photo so this sounds like a bit of a deal to me. Have you seen how good Enda looks in his photo by passport control in Dublin airport? Very sexy.

    Reply
  • Sean Norris 15/02/12 #
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    One a lighter note! Oliver Callan has been rumbled! Sending his photography bills to the Dept of Taoiseach for payment!

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  • Dominic Achom 15/02/12 #
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    Dear Donal, yes i am. Will do it for free.

    Reply
  • Ian Finn 15/02/12 #
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    “Ara sure it’s down 50,000 since 2008 lads” – that hardly makes it any better does it?!

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  • Mike Turner 15/02/12 #
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    Its incredible but nothin compare to Bertie-the-bollacks-mater-bookkeeper-imluckyontheGGs-donthaveabankaccount-poorme-ahern!! What was it, 300k over a few years on makeup, haircuts and clothes!!!

    Reply
  • jimbo 15/02/12 #
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    Surely one of them in there can use a camera,then there is no cost,can it be really that hard to use a camera,i dont think so..

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  • Popsicle Pete 15/02/12 #
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    Train junior party members to do it maybe?

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  • Eugene Farrell 15/02/12 #
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    €30k, wow!!!!! All the airbrushing in the world couldn’t help ‘Canhe’ with his image, woulda been wiser to shoot him with an air rifle instead of a camera….

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  • P Wurple 15/02/12 #
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    These are photographs of official state visits. I don’t think whipping out the camera phone and taking a snap is what’s called for here. There were some fairly huge state events last year with Obama and the Queen. Those alone would account for that cost.

    Professional photographers are just that… Professional. With the professional grade camera equipment, light meters, lenses, flashes, filters ,post processing equipment, hours spent in researching the day plans, hours post processing, knowledge of lighting and experience and insurance. All of those things cost money to provide, which forms part of the fee. To equip and junior party member to do this would cost WAY more than 30,000. A professional camera and couple of lenses alone could cost that, let alone the rest.

    What is with people these days utterly dismissing peoples qualifications and jobs?

    Reply
    • Ian Goode 15/02/12 #
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      Exactly, €30k over the course of a year on professional photography by the head of state is very low. Especially in a year that included visits by the Queen and Barack Obama. I’m actually somewhat impressed.

  • Anthony Dunne 15/02/12 #
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    All he had to do was take 1 photo of his backside and that would have covered all his p.r. needs, after all people would have recognised him straight away !!!!!!

    Reply
  • Brian Houlihan 15/02/12 #
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    We should pay 30k to get rid of numerous images of him, especially that recent scratch behind the ear moment with Sarkozy.

    http://brianpolitics.wordpress.com

    Reply
  • Reg 15/02/12 #
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    Niall Collins is gimp, pure and simple. Why anyone would listen to him and his likes is beyond me!

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  • Karl Doyle 15/02/12 #
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    Enda, your phone has a camera use that like the rest of us.

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  • John Wooldridge 15/02/12 #
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    It must be the extra cost of Photoshop that Kenny uses so he doesn’t look like a plank.Well Kenny get your money back, because it’s not working.

    Reply

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