€480 a week make-up bill

Bluetonic

Who can better that?

Ahern defends €480 a week make-up bill
24/05/2006 - 15:26:20

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today defended the cost of make-up to prepare himself for the Dáil’s TV cameras.

Green Party TD John Gormley who claimed that Mr Ahern was spending €480 a week on his personal vanity, accused him of decadence and dubbed him the 'Queen of Drumcondra'.

Mr Ahern said that it had been the practice of all taoisigh to wear make-up since the televising of Dáil proceedings began in 1990.

“I make the normal preparations that are standard for all those who participate in television programmes,” he said.

He added that the pay for the make-up staff was in line with Siptu rates.

But Mr Gormley said: “Taoiseach, how do you expect the taxpayer, many of whom are lying on trolleys, to pay this exorbitant sum for your vanity?

“It’s extraordinary that you spend more money on make-up than any of the ladies in the Cabinet.

“What sort of priorities do you have when you’re heading around like the Queen of Drumcondra.

“On the 80th anniversary of the founding Fianna Fáil, what would your founder Eamon de Valera say about a Taoiseach who spends hundreds of euro every week on make-up.”

He asked if Mr Ahern should be called the L’Oreal Taoiseach ’because he is worth it’.

But Mr Ahern replied: “When Deputy Gormley is Taoiseach some day he will find in the Taoiseach’s department that there is a service provided by two people, two days a week.

“They’re paid the Siptu rates for the job. I don’t think that they should be fired to satisfy you.”

He added: “I understand that when you go to RTE, that you carefully go to the make-up room. You have never been known not to use make-up.”

Mr Gormley then asked if it was too much trouble to apply the make-up himself.

“The sum of €480 a week is extraordinary when we have people on trolleys. It amounts to nothing more than decadence,” the Dublin South East TD added.

lasair

i remember my mother always on about that. and all to cover that big whiskey nose of his...

crosstownk

Expensive stuff - trowelling on teflon:D

Seraphina

are you serious?
thats ****ing ridiculous
that'd get a homeless person some decent accomadation and money for food so they could get a job.
and a million other things... grrr politicians

tinkerbell

How in the feck can anyone spend €480 a month!?! So this is where all our hard earned tax is going ....

Hermione*

crosstownk wrote:

Expensive stuff - trowelling on teflon:D

LOL, brilliant!

It seems ridiculous in all fairness, apart from the waate of taxpayers money, what the hell's he trying to hide? Is he that lacking in self-confidence? :rolleyes: :eek:

tribulus

lol i doubt any amount of make up will help the poor fella!!! Thats a bit shocking though in fairness, how much is this make up

tSubh Dearg

tinkerbell wrote:

How in the feck can anyone spend €480 a month!?! So this is where all our hard earned tax is going ....

I hate to shock you more but read that again, it's €480 per week!

Stench Blossoms

As i said on the other thread. People will believe anything

Trampas

And he doesn't even dye his hair

Gillo

Politics forum?????

I'm not sayign its right that he spends that much, but at least he pays his beautician the union rates.

Civilian_Target

Seraphina wrote:

are you serious?
thats ****ing ridiculous
that'd get a homeless person some decent accomadation and money for food so they could get a job.

lol! I can just imagine some homeless guy trowelling the makeup onto Bertie in the morning

Larianne

Civilian_Target wrote:

lol! I can just imagine some homeless guy trowelling the makeup onto Bertie in the morning

That's whats I thought when I first read that post!!

Nice little earner for whoever does the make-up! (dam,I want that job!) Surprised he can't do it himself in fairness. If he's on telly that often could he not learn!! Guys make-up= foundation/tint and powder, maybe some sweat-stop beforehand if he's the sweaty type. Done.

Seraphina

in fairness, what the **** does he need make up for?
he's not being paid to look good, he's being paid to run the ****ing country. why is he wasting taxpayers money on MAKEUP
he's an ugly old git anyway, he should just accept it

Stark

I can understand needing to wear makeup for a TV camera, but €480 a week? Holy cow.

Good to know where my taxes are going.

Hagar

It's good to see Mary Harney isn't wasting any money, she always looks a fright, God bless her.

Stench Blossoms

Stark wrote:

I can understand needing to wear makeup for a TV camera, but €480 a week? Holy cow.

Good to know where my taxes are going.

Its not the actually makeup that costs that. As i said in the other thread about this. €480 covers the cost of the makeup artist that applys it and their wages are controlled by the union and he has no control over that.

ferdi

bertie looks like an alco who lives under a bridge. his stylist should be shot.

fuzzywiggle

I watched him on Ryan Tubridy there a few Saturdays ago and his face was orange. He had his legs crossed and you could see a bit of his leg and it was whiter than white! When there was a full shot of him you could see the obvious difference.

Tar.Aldarion

ferdi wrote:

bertie looks like an alco who lives under a bridge. his stylist should be shot.

Well I assume he buys loads of cheap make-up as opposed to some expensive make-up, tis the Irish way!