THE ENTITLEMENT of former taoisigh to a range of perks has ended, a move that will particularly hit Bertie Ahern, who has claimed €367,000 for secretarial services since 2008.
The expenses relate to secretarial assistants, computer equipment, telephone costs and airport VIP facilities paid for by the State. The Department of the Taoiseach stopped paying for these services in respect of former taoisigh yesterday.
The provision of secretarial services for Mr Ahern since 2008 is more than all other former taoisigh combined. He has also run up mobile phone bills of almost €11,000.
Before the cutback announced by Taoiseach Enda Kenny last month, Mr Ahern and other former taoisigh were entitled to two secretarial assistants in the five years after stepping down, and one thereafter.
The arrangement was put in place in 2001 to facilitate former holders of the office to carry out public roles and deal with correspondence as well as “co-operating with researchers in various areas such as history, administration and political science”, according to the department.
Mr Ahern incurred secretarial costs of €75,000 in 2008, €114,000 in 2009, €107,000 in 2010 and €71,000 last year. His phone bills peaked at €3,500 in 2009 and amounted to €2,200 between January and August last year.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin is among those who have said the expenses paid to his former cabinet colleague under the scheme are too high and should be reduced.
The provision of secretarial services for Brian Cowen cost €32,000 last year, while the bill for the late Dr Garret FitzGerald amounted to €30,000 for the period last year up to his death in May. The department also paid €25,000 in respect of a secretary for Albert Reynolds and €16,000 for John Bruton. Dr FitzGerald also got €2,000 and Mr Cowen got almost €1,500 to buy computer equipment since the scheme started.
Another former taoiseach, Liam Cosgrave, is not recorded as having claimed under the scheme.
The entitlement of former taoisigh to a State car, other than on important State occasions, was withdrawn last June, while their pensions, along with those of other high earners in the public service, were cut by 20 per cent last month.
The Dublin Airport Authority said it had been informed last month that the department would no longer be paying for VIP facilities for former taoisigh at Irish airports. A VIP package at Dublin airport, including assistance with customs and immigration and retrieval of baggage, costs at least €160 plus VAT. Latest figures show the State spent almost €4,000 on this service in 2009.
Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs have traditionally provided assistance to former taoisigh at foreign airports on request, according to the department.
