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US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has awarded hosting of the next G7 summit to one of his own Florida golf clubs, sparking immediate accusations of corruption from the opposition Democrats.
The site picked by his administration from 12 possible US venues for the 10-12 JUne gathering next year is the Trump National Doral Golf Club, in Miami.
“We absolutely believe this is the best place to have it,” acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told a news conference at the White House.
Jerry Nadler, the chairman of the powerful Democratic-led House Judiciary Committee called the decision “among the most brazen examples yet of the president’s corruption”.
“He is exploiting his office and making official US government decisions for his personal financial gain,” Nadler said in a statement vowing that Trump’s “latest abuse of power” would not distract from investigations into the Ukraine scandal engulfing the presidency.
Democrats are investigating Trump for possible impeachment over his alleged bid to pressure Ukraine into digging up dirt on election rival Joe Biden.
They were already probing Trump’s suggestion at the most recent G7 gathering in France in August that the next could be hosted at one of his resorts which they say would violate both the foreign and domestic emoluments clauses that are designed to shield a commander-in-chief from outside influence.
Asked if Trump was aware the choice of venue would inevitably raise accusations of impropriety, Mulvaney said he was – and had decided to go ahead anyway.
‘I was skeptical’
“We’re going to have it there, and there’s going to be folks who will never get over the fact that it’s a Trump property. We get that, but we’re still going there,” he told reporters.
“The president knows exactly that he’s going to get these questions and he’s simply saying that’s fine – I’m willing to take that.”
Mulvaney said Trump suggested Doral as a venue when his team initially gathered to go over a list of 12 possible venues.
He said Doral would put on the event at cost, which he claimed would be as much as half what it would be at other venues. But he gave no estimates of the cost or comparisons.
An important draw is the club’s size – 900 acres, including three golf courses, according to Mulvaney, who said all the foreign delegations and the press could be housed “on campus”.
“Listen, I was skeptical, I was I was aware of the political criticism we’d come under for doing it at Doral,” Mulvaney said.
“That’s why I was surprised when the advance team came back and said this is the perfect location to do this.”
When he touted Doral at the last G7 in Biarritz, Trump brushed off critics who said he was pushing his brand and profiting from his office.
“It’s a great place. It’s got tremendous acreage, many hundreds of acres, so we can handle whatever happens,” he told reporters.
“It’s right next to the airport, meaning a few minutes away … plus it has buildings that have 50 to 70 units in them, so each delegation can have its own building.”
“They love the location of the hotel,” he said. “It’s Miami.”
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Too much paperwork. This only adds to the burnout that many child protection workers face. The job of a social worker has become too administrative and less front line
@Alison Maguire: Do you think its the front line(visiting dysfunctional homes were there’s child abuse) or the admin element that causes turnover in staff ……
@Murr Paul: the frontline also deal with a lot of admin
I believe there is room for all, please note that some of the private agencies are social enterprises that re-investing the children in their care.
As a country though we need to really start investing in support of vulnerable families from pregnancy, good preschools good family support. Our legislation also needs a complete overhaul with a much stronger emphasis on what’s in a child’s best interest not the parents. A child in foster care can at any time be returned to the birth parents, how can a child fully commit to a new family if they are aware of this.
@Anne Kearney: A child in foster care can at any time be returned to the birth parents, how can a child fully commit to a new family if they are aware of this.
A child will always want to return to their parents as when turned 18 kick out by foster families regardless.
@Murr Paul: a significant number of foster carers would and do keep the child in their care after the age of 18. I feel some of the issue is the after care work that goes on from 15 or 16 preparing for independence can instill a fear in the child so there is increased acting out that causes the placement to break down. I reject you before you reject me. A lot of children during access are told that they can go home also the foster carers in their own eyes is only temporary. We need to be able to make a home more permanent for some children and carers.
Why do they try and privatise everything???
Never has a good outcome
In no way am I comparing a Child to a dog here but look what’s happened with privatization re Ashton Dog Pound. Neglect, Abuse, and power pulling where everyone in Dublin is in fear of calling for the dog warden.
@Margaret Doyle: You don’t want to compare the two, and yet you do.
€325 not much to cover all the costs involved with children who have been neglected. The government trying to do all the really important stuff on the Cheap again.
@Alan Kelly: what costs do they have more then any other child? They also receive child benefit, social welfare CDA increases etc. I know cases were they claimed the foster children were disabled to get carers allowance, care grant and domicile care allowance all untaxed. A right little money earner.
@Murr Paul: you cannot just CLAIM someone is disabled!!
Do you know the trauma these kids have been through? Do you know the time that goes into making sure all the needs of these kids at met?
@Murr Paul: would you work 24/7 for 1.93 euro an hour and take the child’s expenses out of that too.
@Murr Paul: What is wrong with you? The state is neglecting and allowing lifelong damage to occur to children. They are pouring money into private companies and you point to a baseless, imaginary problem of welfare fraud. Do you think that so you can feel better or are you just bitter or thick or both?
@Alan Kelly: Making foster caring financially too appetizing is far too dangerous. It attracts the worst of people, to the detriment of these especially vulnerable children. Of course low income families with the right intentions shouldn’t be excluded from fostering simply because they can’t afford it. But that’s why the system allows for specific expenses for the particular foster child in question (with receipts and review process with regards to expenses etc). But just a nice lump sum lodged into your account with no questions asked every month will end up attracting too much interest for all the wrong reasons.
The cost factor here must be quantified, the cost given of €1,000 in a private placement includes other support. It includes the cost of social work support available 24 hours a day 7 days a week not currently provided by Tusla. The private fostering agencies also provide support services such as educational supports child care workers etc.
The private agencies also may be asked to locate careers for children with a complex level of care needs.
have your say