My general view on expenses claimed from the public purse is that they should always be reasonably incurred and vouched for. The former should then be based along clear and sensible guidelines that are publicly available. All approved expense claims should then be published in the same manner.

Speaking, in a way, of mixing personal and private, I think that one of the things that gets me is the proverbial Minister flying to or from the opening of a pub / club house / shopping centre down the country, with the ministerial car following by road. What any of this has to do with the business of running the country is beyond me.

I tend to ‘sweat the small stuff’ myself in terms of logistics and the dilemma is as much mine which count centre to attend as the Minister’s choice of transport. I would say there may have been a time when the government jet would have been considered a valid option although I don’t think so now. Although we did see our friend from Waterford riding the Valkyries earlier this year on a similar journey. Not that there seemed much justification for it then, I should hastily add.

I was reading about Gordon Brown travelling from Edinburgh to London on the 2001 general election results day and I was reflecting on it at same time as I was somewhat surprised he chose to be in London rather than his home base, particularly given his deep local identity. And as is my wont, I got to wondering how he travelled and whether it was by commercial or military jet and at whose expense etc. Which kind of led me onto the theme.

In the recent talk on our Kerry friend’s expenses there was one example of a hotel stay he incurred on Irish soil before catching a flight. But it turned out the alternative was a 200 mile journey before catching a redeye and I thought it wasn’t unreasonable for him to have bedded down locally beforehand.

I rarely talk about my ‘day job’ here as I try keep personal and professional separate, but I have had work days start at 5am into a taxi and home at 9 that evening having been abroad and back in between and am aware that would be common place in most the buiness world. My work travel policy has always been public transport by default, always been vouched, and in recent times the journey must be approved in advance and only if absolutely necessary.

Why the Minister in this case would have to be there so early, I’m not sure either! Maybe I am just becoming paranoid with all the talk of Cóir and the Afghan elections going on over here http://www.irishelection.com/2009/09/fear-not-frightened-voters/

In all, it’s not an expense defence, it’s not an argument, its just some musings.. like Eminem says hey America I’m just playing

Quite honestly, many business travellers have similar sorts of days to endure on a regular basis and get on with them without complaint. The tone of your piece, quite frankly, brings the term “treated like royalty” to mind!

P.S. Why does the Minister need to be there at 8am in the first place, i.e. where is his “value added” as the head of the Department of Foreign Affairs by being at a count centre at that time of the morning?