President Michael D Higgins’ €3,000 a night hotel stays

freshpopcorn

I'm surprised people are shocked by this to be honest.
He's the president and he isn't as down to Earth as some people make him out to be. I could never see him saying oh just book the Travel Lodge for me.

Donald Trump

3000 a night



Where the feck is he finding the pissing hookers for that kind of money?





Mickey-D, if you read this, send me on their contact details. Vald the prick is still squeezing a fortune out of me for the pair I had over beyond in Moscow

Franz Von Peppercorn

WinnyThePoo wrote: »

Permabears back!

Oh yeh. Should have got that.

dirtyden

seamus wrote: »

No, I think you'll find I never said anything even remotely like that.

I don't claim the breadth of knowledge on these matters that you do.

If you don't like it, vote for someone else. Simple.

A man on a business trip not paying his own expenses? That's unheard of!

But, this is not a business trip representing the Irish people. This was Higgins own flight of fancy.

Higgins uses the presidency to further his own political views which is wrong and should not be ignored.

Focusing on the money is probably not where the issue lies here, but he could quite easily have found somewhere suitable for less expense.

ArchXStanton

"The Office of the President is exempt from Freedom of Information legislation despite receiving more than €30m from taxpayers over the past seven years."

Yet revenue have no problem being able to go through my affairs making sure im a good wage slave as I fund this **** show

xi5yvm0owc1s2b

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

€11k split between all the taxpayers in the country is nothing.

Higgins spent €50,000 using the government jet in the first three months of this year. But I'm sure you regard that as "nothing" as well.

Irish Independent wrote:

He has used the private jet to travel to London, Belfast, Athens and Kerry this year.

Belfast and Kerry? It doesn't concern you that Higgins is wasting tens of thousands of taxpayers' money taking private jet trips around a small island nation? Especially when the same taxpayer recently bought his office two brand new BMWs at a cost of €200,000?

Dublin to Belfast is a 2-hour drive. What's the justification for traveling by private jet?

Luka Broad Bassist

Luka Broad Bassist wrote: »

Nobody is suggesting he should "slum it." But do you think it's unreasonable that the president, if going from Dublin to Kerry on a nonessential trip that is far from a state emergency, should be expected to travel by car? Why should we fire up the LearJet because the €200,000 spent last year on two new presidential BMWs is not good enough for him?

Assuming that the president should be entitled to live in the lap of luxury and spend whatever he wants, without accountability to the citizenry, takes us dangerously back to the monarchial attitudes of centuries ago.

This, a million times. Out with the English royals, in with the Irish wannabe royals. Or as Yeats put it so presciently:

Hurrah for revolution and more cannon shot;
A beggar on horseback lashes a beggar on foot;
Hurrah for revolution and cannon come again,
The beggars have changed places but the lash goes on - WB Yeats, 'The Great Day'

Riskymove

ArchXStanton wrote: »

"The Office of the President is exempt from Freedom of Information legislation despite receiving more than €30m from taxpayers over the past seven years."

Yet revenue have no problem being able to go through my affairs making sure im a good wage slave as I fund this **** show

different things. Freedom of Information wouldn't apply to any individual's tax affairs


The money spent by the Office of the President is accounted for and is scrutinized by Oireachtas Committees

seamus

Deleted User wrote: »

You repeatedly come across as desperate to defend Higgins/the Labour Party. There is, believe it not, a wide range of reasonably-priced quality accommodation between a €3000 per night room, and a €15 per night room. But nice strawman introduced to try and defend the indefensible.

It makes a change from being accused of being a blueshirt I suppose.

I've already explained this. I'm pointing out the absurdity of people claiming that he could have stayed in a cheaper room when they have absolutely no idea what room he stayed in, what was paid for it, nor who paid for it.

There is a cohort of people who would claim that a double room in a 2-star is going over the top when he could have spent less.

Step 1: Prove that the amount spent was unreasonable.

As yet, nobody has done that.

dirtyden wrote: »

But, this is not a business trip representing the Irish people. This was Higgins own flight of fancy.

You have no information on which to base that claim.

Focusing on the money is probably not where the issue lies here, but he could quite easily have found somewhere suitable for less expense.

You have no information on which to base that claim.

It seems pretty clear, given that there is zero evidence that any money has been inappropriately spent anywhere by anyone, that this is just a vehicle for a few to take the chance to have a whinge about Higgins because they dislike him. There is nothing in this. Absolutely zero.

Prove your case and I'll join you.

For Forks Sake

Luka Broad Bassist wrote: »

His fawning tribute to the dictator Fidel Castro was a complete embarrassment to the country.

Thankfully Castro was dead at the time, so no harm done.

xi5yvm0owc1s2b

seamus wrote: »

I'm pointing out the absurdity of people claiming that he could have stayed in a cheaper room when they have absolutely no idea what room he stayed in, what was paid for it, nor who paid for it.

We would have a much better idea if Higgins, his office, or the Department of Foreign Affairs would provide the information that has been repeatedly requested of them.

They shouldn't be allowed to spend taxpayers' money on private jet trips and luxury hotel suites, and then stay mum about the details when asked. That's fundamentally non-democratic.

BorneTobyWilde

Some rooms are 40k a night, I think he done okay at 3k.

Grayson

RobertKK wrote: »

The hotel is geared up for that:

http://www.beau-rivage.ch/en/events-organisation/meeting-spaces-banqueting-rooms/

They're reception and banqueting rooms. Like the kind of crap you'd book for weddings. I'd imagine they cost more than the suit to book. He just needs a separate meeting room, not a fecking function room.

Grayson

Luka Broad Bassist wrote: »

We would have a much better idea if Higgins, his office, or the Department of Foreign Affairs would provide the information that has been repeatedly requested of them.

They shouldn't be allowed to spend taxpayers' money on private jet trips and luxury hotel suites, and then stay mum about the details when asked. That's fundamentally non-democratic.

I can't believe you rereged for this.

pumpkin4life

I have no respect whatsoever for Michael D Higgins.

A socialist, leftist nut who lives off the tax payer and never worked a day in his life while espousing socialist, pro E.U, pro mass migration, pro mass murdering dictatorship nonsense.

If he was honest about it, you could at least respect him for that, if he actually applied his own values to his own life, but he gets to rattle this shìt off with no personal, financial or social consequences as a result. 250 grand a year? 3 grand hotels? Glorious comrade!

People also seem to forget that he was massively sympathetic to other Communist regimes (Nicaragua, Cuba etc), commemorated statues to Irish communists like Jim Gralton and during his time lecturing at NUIG had no problem with lecturing (as part of Old Labour) and supporting the idea of a world revolution in communism, and a communist system within Ireland.

Didn't turn out so well in other countries, though I hear Venezuela is booming these days.

I hope he gets voted out in the next election, though it won't happen.

He's what Nassim Taleb would call an IYI: Intellectual Yet Idiot

https://medium.com/incerto/the-intellectual-yet-idiot-13211e2d0577

MonkeyTennis

Hes some boy for managing to never work a day in his life AND lecture in NUIG. At least give him that.

pumpkin4life

MonkeyTennis wrote: »

Hes some boy for managing to never work a day in his life AND lecture in NUIG. At least give him that.

No one needs left wing marxist sociology lecturers. It's not a proper job, it's a sponger job.

Edgware

Berserker wrote: »

Don't have much time for Michael D. but this is a non-story. Think €3K is on the cheaper side for high class accommodation in Switzerland to be honest.

Have a look at the tax you pay this week (if you're working) and tell us if Higgins deserves a 3000 a night room

seamus

Luka Broad Bassist wrote: »

We would have a much better idea if Higgins, his office, or the Department of Foreign Affairs would provide the information that has been repeatedly requested of them.

Sure, but that's a different issue. Higgins himself has never been asked, and even if he was he probably wouldn't know.

DFA doesn't have to respond with this information unless it chooses to.

In any case that doesn't escape the fact that you and others are pillorying Higgins personally over made-up figures that you believe he charged to the Irish state.

The only conclusion is that you have an axe to grind about Higgins, since criticising a person about made-up figures just makes someone look like an unreasonable loon.

intellectual dosser

pumpkin4life wrote: »

I have no respect whatsoever for Michael D Higgins.

A socialist, leftist nut who lives off the tax payer and never worked a day in his life while espousing socialist, pro E.U, pro mass migration, pro mass murdering dictatorship nonsense.

If he was honest about it, you could at least respect him for that, if he actually applied his own values to his own life, but he gets to rattle this shìt off with no personal, financial or social consequences as a result. 250 grand a year? 3 grand hotels? Glorious comrade!

People also seem to forget that he was massively sympathetic to other Communist regimes (Nicaragua, Cuba etc), commemorated statues to Irish communists like Jim Gralton and during his time lecturing at NUIG had no problem with lecturing (as part of Old Labour) and supporting the idea of a world revolution in communism, and a communist system within Ireland.

Didn't turn out so well in other countries, though I hear Venezuela is booming these days.  

I hope he gets voted out in the next election, though it won't happen.

He's what Nassim Taleb would call an IYI: Intellectual Yet Idiot

https://medium.com/incerto/the-intellectual-yet-idiot-13211e2d0577

This. This is what I was looking for the day I created my username.

I just cant....Thank You friend.

AudreyHepburn

Anyone with half a brain knows that article is clickbait and nothing more designed to cause a fuss.

None of us know what was paid or by whom and blaming Mickey D for things beyond his control is just silly.

Hitman3000

AudreyHepburn wrote:

€11k split between all the taxpayers in the country is nothing.

What are you talking about?

Keepaneye

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

Anyone with half a brain knows that article is clickbait and nothing more designed to cause a fuss.

None of us know what was paid or by whom and blaming Mickey D for things beyond his control is just silly.

Anyone with half a brain would be able to come up with a comprehensive excuse for

A. Lying about running Once for president. A policy many of us voters admired and probably voted for him on.

B. Eulogising a dictator.

But sure isn't he grand....

dirtyden

seamus wrote: »

It makes a change from being accused of being a blueshirt I suppose.

I've already explained this. I'm pointing out the absurdity of people claiming that he could have stayed in a cheaper room when they have absolutely no idea what room he stayed in, what was paid for it, nor who paid for it.

There is a cohort of people who would claim that a double room in a 2-star is going over the top when he could have spent less.

Step 1: Prove that the amount spent was unreasonable.

As yet, nobody has done that.

You have no information on which to base that claim.
You have no information on which to base that claim.

It seems pretty clear, given that there is zero evidence that any money has been inappropriately spent anywhere by anyone, that this is just a vehicle for a few to take the chance to have a whinge about Higgins because they dislike him. There is nothing in this. Absolutely zero.

Prove your case and I'll join you.

Obviously we have no information. The law forbids us having that information currently.

In your opinion what service to the country is Higgins providing by giving a keynote speech at an anti capitalist convention? In my opinion Higgins is using his position to further his own politics, as with his trip to Cuba.

I have no information, but this is a discussion board not a court of law. I am giving my opinion on Higgins bevaviour, which I believe not to be appropriate to the office of the president.

You suggested what he was doing in Geneva was akin to a business trip. Where is your case to support this.

ohnonotgmail

dirtyden wrote: »

Obviously we have no information. The law forbids us having that information currently.

In your opinion what service to the country is Higgins providing by giving a keynote speech at an anti capitalist convention? In my opinion Higgins is using his position to further his own politics, as with his trip to Cuba.

I have no information, but this is a discussion board not a court of law. I am giving my opinion on Higgins bevaviour, which I believe not to be appropriate to the office of the president.

You suggested what he was doing in Geneva was akin to a business trip. Where is your case to support this.

how can you have an opinion on his behaviour when you dont know what he has done?

Turnipman

Deleted User wrote: »

People blaming the Department of Foreign Affairs for booking it are of course indicating a much greater problem across the civil and public service - the huge number of senior civil servants who completely unnecessarily take expensive flights, stay in expensive hotels and dine in expensive restaurants while so many fundamental problems remain in our society. There is no need for that waste of our taxes. That is the most important point. And no excuses for it either. Such waste is a blatant two-fingers to taxpayers: let them eat cake.

If we had any sort of investigative journalists, there's a huge story there in Department expenses. But no ordinary journalist/sycophant would be willing to damage their "government sources" by taking it on. Such is the reality of our "free press".

No there isn't!

This issue has regularly been expertly researched by journalist Ken Foxe over the past decade.

Ken has availed of the FoI legislation very well to trawl through the travel and sub expenditure of numerous Government Departments and Offices. I would love to see what he would do with both the current and the previous President's travel and sub expenditure if only he could gain access to them!


Have a look! http://www.kenfoxe.com or https://twitter.com/kenfoxe

dirtyden

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

how can you have an opinion on his behaviour when you dont know what he has done?

I know he went to Switzerland to an anti capitalist convention. I am not sure what you are getting at here? What do you know, that you know I don’t know I know.

ohnonotgmail

dirtyden wrote: »

I know he went to Switzerland to an anti capitalist convention. I am not sure what you are getting at here? What do you know, that you know I don’t know I know.

you said you have no information. All anybody knows is that he went to switzerland.

xi5yvm0owc1s2b

seamus wrote: »

In any case that doesn't escape the fact that you and others are pillorying Higgins personally over made-up figures that you believe he charged to the Irish state.

The figures for Higgins's government jet usage are on record, and thus not "made-up." Regardless of the precise cost of his hotel room in Switzerland, it's clear that Higgins is more than happy to exploit the Irish taxpayer whenever he can get away with it, such as his Learjet flights from Dublin to Kerry.

It's that attitude that I'm objecting to more than anything else. If Higgins had any respect for the workers of Ireland, per his socialist shtick, he wouldn't be displaying such blatant disregard for the money the state takes out of their wages. He should be arguing against state displays of opulence rather than becoming the living embodiment of them. But by conspicuously living the high life at the taxpayer's expense, he's proved that he's nothing more than a champagne socialist who profits personally off the very forces (capitalism, globalization) that he flies around the world criticizing.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Does he need to be travelling abroad so often?

The only time I hear about the fella is when he's off visiting someplace..