This is a bloody disgrace

It is important to recall that horse-racing has been an important source of revenue to some senior Fianna Fail politicians, with the former party-leader Mr Ahern forced on his meagre salary and expenses to seek dig-outs in pubs, which would have no doubt been larger were it not for his winnings on the horses. He told us at the Mahon Tribunal that substantial sums of sterling lodged into his bank account came from winnings on sporting bets.

Hopefully the Irish people will begin to see the need to clean out the Augean Stables in Leinster House and corporate Ireland which have piled up a Carrauntoohil of crap on our doorstep, demanding the ordinary people of Ireland live with it and pay for it through bail-outs funded by cutbacks, higher taxes and pension and welfare cuts. It might take more than a day, but a serious amount of shovelling could be done in a single stroke to start the clear-out by voting NO to Lisbon. Look at some of those who are urging Yes - FF, FG, Labour and the Greens, IBEC, captains of Irish industry and finance, and some of the trade union suits who are just part of the establishment cast, who are less likely to lead a revolution than the Legion of Mary. What a wonderful opportunity to reject them all and begin the dung-out Ireland needs. Ignore the threats - Europe will rock on, business as usual. The Eurocrats on their big expenses and salaries won't want to rock the boat, and they'll re-invent some other form of son of Lisbon to ensure plenty of meetings and chat to keep everyone busy and well-paid. We were told the sky would fall in on us if we voted no last time - yeah, it has, but nothing to do with Lisbon. Fantastic journalism here, keep up the pressure. A single illustration of unbridled - and perfectly legal - behaviour at the top is a great way to illustrate what's rotten in the establishment in Ireland, and a lot cheaper than paying expensive lawyers to take years to tell us what we already know.

We can afford this Gombeenism but cannot afford a Tourist Office at Rosslare leaving it the only ferryport in Europe with no tourist office to help parties entering the country. Its no wonder tourism is in such a shocking state and for those in The Dept. Of Tourism to try to justify this arrogance and waste suggests they should be fired.Signed . John Kinsella.

A standard review panel should be in operation to determine the usefulness or otherwise of ministers and their 'work'.
Abuse of position should be noted, especially in relation to junkets and the level of expense both incurred and avoided.
Another option is to have a website dedicated to detailing the expenses incurred by ministers and the purpose of same and to have it openly available for comment, similar to this article.
It is obvious that John O'Donoghue is only useful to himself.

Teachers of CSPE should encourage pupils to choose projects dealing with expenses and salaries of members of the Oireachtas.When Mr O Donoghue arrives to enlighten pupils about politics he will be in a position to give further information about salaries, pensions,and expenses to help pupils learn the truth about politics.Save newspaper articles re expenses of politicans and discuss same with them if possible by email ,phone or invite them to your school.I make a second appeal to the Minister for Education to include the missing chapter in CSPE syllabus ,the issues referred to above.

He should be forced to pay back this money. I cannot see any basis for justifying this expenditure. It was simply not related to his job as Minister in any fashion. It is scandalous to see such waste of taxpayers' money when special needs classses are being slashed and social welfare recipients face cuts in meagre pensions.

I cannot accept the views of May Fayne , no. 9 above. In this country we have always " moved on" and let these characters get away with it. It was the same at the tribunals. Feel sorry for them and let them go but let those on the minimum wage or social welfare pay for it. No we don't move on but let those at this conduct move out. The country does not need them. J. Kinsella.

Desmond. I agree. They are all useless. But the alternatives are also useless. Maybe if Joan Burton was a minister again, she might not commandeer the government jet to do the shopping. In all likelihood, she will just as bad as the FF.

Shane Ross should start a party to clean the entire business and political culture up. I would gladly help him.He is the only politician in there trying to serve the people. The rest are giving soundbites, getting in photo ops, taking pot shots, lining their pockets and looking after their mates.

Let's hear it for Senator Ross !!!

Fred you say he should resign,but worry there is no one competent to replace him...fear not my daughter has a donkey grazing in the back field,you are guaranteed a better days work and with little or no need for a chauffeur and for a couple of hundred euro I could buy enough donkeys to replace the entire cabinet and the back benchers...no one would notice any difference.