After taking delivery of a new state car from the taxpayer, with a garda driver, Higher Education Minister Simon Harris is selling his high-end private vehicle.
His Audi A6 is on the market for 43,500 euros, it was advertised on Carzone by a well known dealer in Dublin. The Liberal has a copy of the ad which described the car as being a high end S Line model with 204bhp.
Alongside that, there were 15 detailed photos of the automatic black Audi that looks like it’s brand new.
A for-sale notice was posted on the minister’s social media account this week, but it was removed minutes later, reports the Independent.
The minister is reorganizing his transportation and he is expected to purchase another family car for personal use.
The sleek black 2019 Audi is packed with all the usual modern features and is said to be extremely fast and well-cared for. The 2-liter engine traveled 83,500 km. The sale is handled by a respected dealer.
Being driven in a state car has often been controversial as it is seen as an employment advantage.
Last month, most ministers were switched to government cars with drivers from the close protection officers’ garda following a security check.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris recommended changing civilian drivers amid safety concerns. It marks the return to the system in place until 2011. Since then, only the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, the Minister of Justice and a few other officials had garda drivers for security reasons.
The rest of the cabinet ministers had to provide their own cars and their civilian drivers were paid by the taxpayer.
Garda says there is enough information to suggest a potential threat to all cabinet members based on their monitoring of those involved in far-right anti-vaccine movements.
Green Party ministers resisted plans to travel in state cars with garda drivers.
Eamon Ryan, Catherine Martin and Roderic O’Gorman have environmental objections as there are no electric vehicles in the ministerial fleet and other concerns. Mr. Ryan often cycles around Dublin and uses public transport whenever he can.
Fianna Fáil ministers Charlie McConalogue and Norma Foley also opposed replacing their civilian drivers.
Attorney General Paul Gallagher was the subject of controversy during his previous tenure.
In the summer of 2009, a state car traveled from Dublin carrying his dog to Kerry, where the attorney general was on vacation. The government said the main reason for the trip was to deliver urgent documents to Mr. Gallagher while he was at his vacation home and the dog was simply hitchhiking.
And there have also been complaints over the years about drivers having to escort the minister’s children to school and pick up their groceries.
During the Rainbow government, a ministerial chauffeur complained that he was invited to run errands.