169,021 Gardai Overtime Hours Clocked Up on Bush Visit

national | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Friday December 10, 2004 18:24

by mark h

Over 8million euros has been spent on cost of all security arrangements for Bush's visit

New figures obtained by Joe Costello in reply to a written Dail question reveal that an astonishing 169,021 Garda overtime hours were required to provide security arrangements for the 18 hour visit of President George Bush to this country in June.

While the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, was unable to give Deputy Costello a final figure for the cost of all security arrangements for the visit, because a number of claims and other miscellaneous charges remain outstanding, a total of €8.027m has been clocked up to date.

Garda overtime costs around €25 per hour, so the total cost of the overtime alone is likely to have amounted to around €4.225m. Based on an annual average salary of around €40,000, the €8.027m would be sufficient to pay for 200 extra Gardai.

“I think the Irish taxpayer is entitled to ask if we got value for the huge expenditure involved in what appeared to be basically a pre-election
photo-opportunity for President Bush.” said Deputy Costello

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Comments (2 of 2)

US military revenue at Shannon. Profit or loss?

by Tim

Fri Dec 10, 2004 18:52

originally a comment
I posted this as a comment to a story about Garda overtime during Bush visit.
When i hit add comment, the story was gone.
please add this if the original story gets put back up after it is verified or whatever else.

Apologies if the following is boring financial stuff, but you must bear in mind that I'm a planespotter AND a former Fund Administrator :-)
I notice in the carefully worded government statements that they talk about REVENUE that Aer Rianta got from military flights.

They talk about "REVENUE" not "PROFIT"...
What's the difference?
Profit is what you have when you subtract your COSTS from your REVENUES.

Revenue is what goes in the till and profit is what goes in the bank after you pay your bills (or a net loss when you borrow from the bank to make up a shortfall)

If there 15million in Revenue, then you should subtract the costs paid out to the handling companies, the fuel companies, and the cost of the security, and most of the security costs are FOR military flights (including APO and Garda overtime, the new portokabins, fences, jeeps, and lighting stands)
Then subtract the cost of Bush visit, (at least 15 million euros between Garda and Army operations)
and subtract again the €6,000,000 subsidy that the Irish taxpayer is paying annually for the US military air traffic control charges (the Pentagon wouldn't pay them- so our Dept of Transport has to cough up the money for ATC charges... our money)

So, who thinks that the military use of Shannon airport is actually generating profit for the country?

Time someone did a detailed study of this

by Michael

Fri Dec 10, 2004 22:14

Some people who visit this website are students of business, accounting and economics. Perhaps someone could do a project or a thesis even for college on this issue. How does it work out in the end? How much does it cost? How much are officials getting in kickbacks?

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169,021 Gardai Overtime Hours Clocked Up on Bush Visit

Comments (2 of 2)