TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen will use a new €160,000 S-Class Mercedes in coming months, despite his initial refusal to accept it.
The car was bought after Mr Cowen’s appointment in June without his knowledge. It was to replace a similar model used by his predecessor Bertie Ahern.
Mr Cowen refused to use the vehicle on the grounds that it would send out the wrong message to the public at a time of financial cutbacks. The decision to buy it was taken by the Department of Justice following the departure of Mr Ahern, who kept his S-Class Mercedes after he left office. However, the car could not be sent back to the supplier without significant loss. Mr Cowen, who uses an E-Class Mercedes which has significant mileage on the clock, is now expected to take delivery of the replacement in coming months.
The Department of Justice said: “A replacement Mercedes S-Class was ordered for the current Taoiseach in the normal way and was delivered some time ago to Garda Headquarters. The Taoiseach, however, in the light of the changed financial and economic circumstances, decided not to take delivery of this car and instead to retain his current Mercedes E-Class for as long as possible.
“The Taoiseach requested that the possibility of returning it to the supplier should be explored. This did not prove possible.”
