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The John O'Donoghue expenses scandal saw former Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue pursued by various allegations over his expenses claims in Ireland's Sunday newspapers over several months in 2009. He spent €250,000 in his time as Ceann Comhairle and €550,000 in his time as Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism. His wife Kate-Ann also enjoyed many of the expenses.〔 Tabloid newspapers referred to the politician with titles such as "Johnny Cash". The Irish Green Party, junior coalition partners in government, requested a reform of the system following the revelations. The accountant in charge of expenses had also resigned in protest at the system. O'Donoghue was the first Ceann Comhairle to forcefully resign;〔 however, Patrick Hogan resigned the post for health reasons in 1967. O'Donoghue announced his resignation from the position of Ceann Comhairle on the evening of 6 October 2009, effective as of 13 October 2009. The ''Irish Independent'' opined: "Were Louis the XIV around today, the Sun King would likely be envious of the lavish style that John O'Donoghue brought to public office". ''The Australian'' noted that the controversy followed just three months after a similar one brought down Michael Martin of the United Kingdom. ''The Observer'' blamed his fall on "a keen interest in racing", particularly his trips to Aintree, Cheltenham and the Melbourne Cup. David Sharrock of ''The Times'' suggested the government was "close to collapse" and contrasted the expenses with a report that one school in Ireland had requested children to bring their own toilet paper to classes. ==Details of expenses== As Ceann Comhairle, O'Donoghue employed seven more office staff than the previous Ceann Comhairle who managed with three staff.〔〔 O'Donoghue and Brendan Howlin shared a "working dinner" in June 2007.〔 The cost of the €293 meal was paid for by O'Donoghue. He also dined regularly in Michelin-starred restaurants, on many occasions with his wife.〔 Four trips to Britain in 2006 and 2007 led to €21,000 expenses claims for hiring cars.〔 He claimed expenses on a £1 sterling donation which he personally gave to UNICEF when in Scotland. The donation was part of the hotel bill. The total bill for his stay there from 21 January until 24 January 2009 came to €801.70.〔 He regularly attended horse racing sessions and even brought his wife, secretary and other officials to the Melbourne Cup in Australia in 2003.〔 He returned in 2005, telling a magazine the following year that: "There's nothing quite like Melbourne Cup day in Australia".〔 He claimed expenses of €600 on a limousine to take him to horse racing at Aintree.〔 He claimed for another limousine to carry him between terminals at Heathrow Airport in London. The total claimed for this limousine was €472.〔 He claimed nearly €900 per night for a 2006 stay in the Radisson Hotel in Liverpool. He resided in one hotel in Paris where rooms cost €633 per night.〔〔 Many of the expenses were claimed for tips he gave — one of these amounted to almost €200.〔 He purchased many gifts such as €882 worth of items from the House of Ireland shop and 2006 Midleton whiskey which totalled €135.〔 €4,956 was claimed on the hire of limousines during a trip to several cities in the United States.〔 €11,869 in expenses was claimed on advertisements displayed in local newspapers in his native Kerry.〔 On 6 October 2009, it was revealed that O'Donoghue had spent more than €20,000 at nine different race meetings internationally over the four-year period of 2003–2007. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「John O'Donoghue expenses scandal」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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