€480 a week make-up bill

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.