Former Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen is to lose his diplomatic standing as part of government cutbacks.
Cowen leads a long list of former Ministers and politicians who will surrender their rights to a diplomatic passport.
The move has been introduced by Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore as he seeks to cut costs.
The Sunday Independent reports that Gilmore has written to Cowen and 60 former ministers, parliamentary deputies and senior civil servants,
The paper says the Minister has requested that they hand back the passports as part of a reform programme.
The paper says that the wives of former Ministers for Foreign Affairs Michael O’Kennedy and David Andrews have also enjoyed use of a diplomatic passport and will be asked to relinquish them.
Charles Haughey’s widow Maureen Haughey is also set to lose her diplomatic rights when travelling abroad.
Former ministers on the list include Mary Coughlan, Tony Killeen, Dick Roche, Martin Cullen and Mary White.
Gilmore will present his cost cutting plan to cabinet on Tuesday according to the report and will ask for the diplomatic passports to be returned in the coming weeks.
The report adds that a recent review found there are 1,900 diplomatic passports and 7,400 official passports in circulation.
6 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.johnbyrne | Feb 14, 2013, 09:21 AM EST
I would like to remove more than their diplomatic passports
merefalow | Feb 04, 2013, 05:08 PM EST
he should have lost more than that for what that crowd of politicoes did to the economy,(what economy)fat cats lapping in the EU money trough,just like teir uk counter parts,thats why they will never give the British a free vote,not a straitforward yes or no in or out anyway,and its to late to stop the flood. of
angrypaddy | Feb 04, 2013, 12:34 AM EST
Two obese alcoholic's BIFFO & Mary Harneywith privileges
IrelandNorth | Feb 03, 2013, 01:38 PM EST
Didn't even know they had them. What more do we not know? How can one justify having a diplomats passport when one isn't a diplomat? More quixotic logic which is wrecking Ireland. The state Ireland is in is reducible to Mé Féiners and Mé Féinism prevailing. People fought and died for this state, not to have it used as a gravy train by hungry ghosts.
SarahinLA | Feb 03, 2013, 12:06 PM EST
Agree with you Towngate. This person is also an embarrassment to those of us who left Ireland. I remember being the butt of Irish jokes after Jay Leno christened him the 'drunken moron'. Of course the Healy-Rae's haven't helped those of us trying to shake the gombeen man image of the Irish.
Towngate | Feb 03, 2013, 09:34 AM EST
This despicable hoodlum who destroyed the Irish economy and spirit,should be languishing in jail .... never mind luxuriating in his ill-gotten gains! Cowan an his ilk should be stripped of all their material and Financial benefits of having 'held Office'. If he had any decency, he would at least attempt to apologise to his countrymen!