Does Mary Harney have anything to hide from expenses probe?

[Fingal MCC]

I have heard on the grapevine that there are some questions being asked regarding Mary Harney's expenses, other than those revealed during the Fas saga.

This weekend could be even more interesting that I thought.

[Pauli]

This will be something to really look forward to, depending on who is asking the questions and the respective chances of getting anything approaching an honest answer.

[flavirostris]

wonder if the Tribune are going to publish some FOIs for Frau Harney's expenses. I thought it would be Cullen up next since he's generally agreed to be one of the biggest wasters in govt

[Mitsui]

..depending on who is asking the questions

Definitely

and the respective chances of getting anything approaching an honest answer.

eh..... zero? Nah - less!

[Wakeupcall]

Foood

[cyberianpan]

It's possible that due to her size she may have had to fly first class on foreign trips , and also due to her limited mobility may have had more need of chauffeured cars. So we've to be careful how we interpret any Harney expenses

cYp

[flavirostris]

Has Harney limited mobility?

[Pauli]

wonder if the Tribune are going to publish some FOIs for Frau Harney's expenses. I thought it would be Cullen up next since he's generally agreed to be one of the biggest wasters in govt

While the money pissed away on Cullen in his capacity as Minister is eye-watering, his departmental budget is relatively small so the overall damage he does is limited. Harneys departmental budget is vast by comparison, which is one of the reasons she wanted the job, something many people don't quite "get".

But back to "personal" expenses. She has shown form in the past with the Superbowl and hair-dos and it is widely acknowledged that the culture of larceny and embezzlement in Fàs bedded itself down under her watch as MInister and that of her husband as Chairman. However, a comprehensive audit of the sums frittered away on her and those close to her over the years would make for more than welcome reading.

[Fish]

Does Mary Harney have anything to hide from the expenses probe?

I'd say that one could reasonably extrapolate that there are some things during her tenure as Minister for trade and employment open to question considering all of the other schennanegans that have come to light. The whole system of expenses is rotten to the core and open to all kinds of abuses as we have seen.

Whether they come to light is another matter entirely though and even if they do Harney is a master at deflecting criticism.

Plus she is twice the woman that Bertie Ahearn is though he runs her close on bra sizes and make up bags I'd say.

[flavirostris]

Harney's US junket in 2008 cost the taxpayer €190,000. That's far in excess of anything JOD could p*ss up against the wall. The bill for minibus hire alone came to €11,000