The hiring of models to pose with Government ministers is a frivolous misuse of public money, it was claimed today.
The use of glamorous girls in photoshoots came under scrutiny after Environment Minister Dick Roche was pictured between models at a press conference on decaying water pipes.
Green Party environment and equality spokesman Ciarán Cuffe insisted the models had no relevance to Dublin's creaking sanitation system. "It's a frivolous misuse of state resources. It's just silly. I have seen Martin Cullen pose with women jumping out of composters before but nothing quite like this," he said.
"It seems inappropriate. I don't see the relevance of young women to decaying water pipes." Mr Cuffe also complained about the lack of gender equality in the photo shoots questioning why it wasn't young good-looking men paraded alongside the country's leaders.
"It seems more often than not it's a couple of female models in the shoot," he said. "I'm not convinced there is any need for models but if they are to be used there should be some gender equality."
But Mary Murphy, of the public relations firm who organised the models, played down the concerns.
She said the models cost only €150 each for the press conference which was shared out between seven local authorities in the greater Dublin area."