Educational News - Quinn rejects travel expenses claims

MINISTER FOR Education Ruairí Quinn has played down the importance of a controversy over his travel expenses.

Interviewed about the matter by George Hook on Newstalk yesterday he said: “I have done nothing.”

He explained how a story last weekend – which had sought to link his travel expenses and his personal diary – had no substance.

The Mail on Sunday reported on expense claims by the Minister last July. The paper claimed these claims appeared to be at odds with travel arrangements recorded in his official diary.

However, in his first comment on the story since it was published, Mr Quinn said the car in question was used for several events not recorded in his diary and was also available to others in his department.

Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act show that Mr Quinn claimed €1,451 in mileage expenses covering over 5,100km.

The report claimed his official diary during that month would only justify payment for about 884km in mileage expenses.

In a statement to The Irish Times , the Department of Education said: “The electronic diary maintained by the Ministers office does not reflect all official use of the Minister’s car.

“An itemised list of all car journeys is not available.

“The new travel arrangements introduced for Ministers has resulted in annualised savings of 70 per cent in respect of Minister Quinn’s travel.”

Ministers sign a form at the end of each month outlining how many kilometres they have travelled on official duties.

Mr Quinn was on official business in the US for six days in July. A further seven days are listed as private or blank in his official diary.

Only one of his official engagements in July was outside Dublin – a speaking engagement at the MacGill Summer School in Co Donegal.

Source: www.irishtimes.com

Journalist: Seán Flynn

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