Our TD's - is it going on here?

niceirishfella

I wonder is there "rife" dodgy expenses claims in our government like the UK MP expose's by the rag media over there? Thoughts anyone?
I have a funny feeling there is.:rolleyes:

super_furry

Of course it is, the thing is, no-one cares. When was the last time an Irish politician was forced to step down or resign?

dr.bollocko

I would expect to see a similar scandal here once this election shoite has died down TBH. The meeja know we aren't wearing these politicians no more and are already looking for more and more ways to kick them.

PirateShampoo

I wouldnt be suprised if it was worse over here.

I find it funny that we expect our politicans to be corrupt and that it doesnt bother us.

spank_inferno

It most certainly is.
What made much of the hubub in the UK was that these expences were itemised. eg: £4 on dog food, £2000 for a TV etc

here its just unvouched cash without documentation.

Though i believe there is some itemisation but a lot of it isnt.

Time Magazine

super_furry wrote: »

Of course it is, the thing is, no-one cares. When was the last time an Irish politician was forced to step down or resign?

Ivor Callely was pushed from his ministerial position in 2005 and the electorate duly booted him out in 2007.

Didn't stop Bertie Ahern appointing him to the Seanad, mind.

Biggins

LOL Of course its going on.

Jackie Healy O'Rhae last year claimed €89,000 in expences ALONE (his triple Dail wages, Basic Salary: €106,581 + Independent Allowance: €41,152 + Committee Chair: €10,241) and other perks which accord to accounts last made public was €289,769! ...And no, he outright refused to take a pay cut like the rest of us have been forced to via the latest budget.) - after his total which topped the €289,769 mark.

The only reason why nothing is being done about it from either side of Fail/Gael, is that both sides are each taking advantage of the system to the fullest capacity.
They are not going to bite the hand that also feeds them!

It's up to the public to do something about it but seeing as we are taking about an Irish public that for some couldn't be even arsed to vote never mind protest - I won't hold my breath for change there either.

Ye truely get the government ye deserve!

ejmaztec

An Irish politician wouldn't resign, even if he were in handcuffs. The UK ones are dropping like flies, but that wouldn't happen here with the uber-denial mechanism etched into our politicians' brains.

Latchy

I have never though of Ireland as being anything udder than a corrupt little nation anyway were backhanders are the norm everywere .:cool:

mathie

Biggins wrote: »

LOL Of course its going on.

Jackie Healy O'Rhae last year claimed €89,000 in expences ALONE - after his wages which topped the €200,000 mark.
The only reason why nothing is being done about it from either side of Fail/Gael, is that both sides are each taking advantage of the system to the fullest capacity.
They are not going to bite the hand that also feeds them!

It's up to the public to do something about it but seeing as we are taking about an Irish public that for some couldn't be even arsed to vote never mind protest - I won't hold my breath for change there either.

Ye truely get the government ye deserve!

Have you protested?

MrJetlag

You would have to question why the Irish MEPs voted not to disclose/declare their expenses.

Check out this video - MEP Jim Higgins. Bull****ter extraordinaire

And i really like the music with it too !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vg_JjZJSU1E

r3nu4l

niceirishfella wrote: »

I wonder is there "rife" dodgy expenses claims in our government like the UK MP expose's by the rag media over there? Thoughts anyone?
I have a funny feeling there is.:rolleyes:

I'd just like to point out that the expenses scandal in the UK was brought to the fore and is being driven by the Daily Telegraph, a bastion of English conservatism. While I dislike the Tories and conservatism I have to laugh at them being described as 'rag media' in the OP

niceirishfella

Correction; I was'nt just the Telegraph running with the story. However, the did break the news, but all the tabloids ran with it.

seamus

I have trouble uncovering the logic behind giving an expense allowance and paying someone a flat rate for expenses, regardless of cost and regardless of whether they were used.

If you've incurred an expense, you can show a receipt and you get that amount back. You should not be in profit when you get your expenses back. This isn't rocket science, so I don't know why TDs aren't required to submit an itemised list of all expenses, with receipts, which should be freely available for public scrutiny. If they've incurred a business expense, there's no reason why they should be afraid of the public seeing it.

Biggins

mathie wrote: »

Have you protested?

Yes, a number of times this year!
(whats more, I continue to highlight such an issue as here: "The Perks Of Government")

Our present glorious leader is paid €70,000 more than the head of the Labour party in England. Add to that a near €40,000 extra he gets in perks, it adds up to quite a wage.

The taxpayer is now forking out nearly €100,000 in unvouched expenses for TDs every day they attend the Dail.

Unlike practically every other worker in the State, the elected representatives do not have to provide receipts proving they spent the money. And the majority of backbench TDs receive allowances on top of their basic pay for service as chairs, vice-chairs or whips on one of the 20 Oireachtas committees. This means that the average expenses claimed by TD during the first 10 months of 2008 amounted to €39,905 each -- €6,000 more than the average industrial wage. On top of this, the country's 60 senators claimed almost €3m between January and November last year. The generous agreement which allows them to claim lavish expenses is unsurprisingly set by the Oireachtas which they run. Mileage, overnight allowances and office costs are all payable unvouched.

Just for showing up, TDs who live within 15 miles of Leinster House are entitled to €61.33 in travel and subsistence. Those who live 16 miles and further away are given €139.67 for overnight expenses. Each TD is also provided with €40,090 to employ an office secretary, although recent Freedom of Information requests have shown that many hire family members.

An analysis of expense claims for the first 10 months of last year shows that TDs claimed a whopping €6.5m, when the Dail sat for just 68 days. That works out at €95,588 for every day the Dail was in session. On top of this, allowances received for chairing Oireachtas committees are pensionable. Other bonuses include office equipment and stationery, a free parking space in Leinster House and free postage of 21,000 envelopes a year.

Government Ministers are also entitled to "walking around money". The €240-a-week extra is paid to reimburse them for money spent acting as a Minister. The special tax-free expense was not reduced when Ministers agreed to a 10pc pay cut in the October budget. And that is before you factor in overseas travel.

Last year, it was revealed how in just eight month, TDs and senators (excluding the Taoiseach and Government ministers), spent over half a million euro on overseas travel. Some 115 of the public representatives bagged junkets to destinations including Australia, Washington, India, Egypt, Mexico and even Kazakhstan.

Pensions

Thirty-six current politicians from across the political spectrum are pocketing €700,000 a year worth of ministerial pensions -- on top of inflated salaries and massive expenses.

None of them have reached retirement age!

Among the biggest beneficiaries is former Bertie Ahearn who has a pension of over €160,000 on top of his salary. Other 'pensioners' include the leader of Fianna Gael Enda Kenny, who draws a yearly pension of €15,000, and his deputy, Richard Bruton who gets €14,041. But when Senator Brady raised the matter at Brain Cowen's economic briefing for Fianna Fail TDs recently he says he got "the silent treatment".

Other individuals in receipt of large State pensions include the multi-millionaire businessman and 'God's Banker' Peter Sutherland, who is chairman of BP, one of the world's largest multi-nationals. He collects a yearly pension of €50,000 as a former Attorney General -- as does wealthy Senior council Harry Whelehan.

Have you protested about anything this year?

r3nu4l

niceirishfella wrote: »

Correction; I was'nt just the Telegraph running with the story. However, the did break the news, but all the tabloids ran with it.

Correction, the Telegraph obtained ALL the documents first, broke the story and the Telegraph are still running with it, the 'rag media' (tabloids) are also running with it but make no mistake it's the Telegraph who are the main and most credible driving force behind this story. If you'd been paying attention you'd see that the Telegraph have consistently led with this story for weeks now, even today the main headline is directly related to expenses and they have been consistently ahead of the other papers.

To include the orchestrators, originators and main drivers of this story as 'rag media' was incorrect. That's all I was saying

KeyLimePie

Well the examiner the other day tried to drum up some controversy by making a list of TDs who owe the dail restaurant a bunch ...
does that count ? =D

niceirishfella

r3nu4l wrote: »

the 'rag media' (tabloids) are also running with it

no correction required, as you said yourself, I was right. See above.
Thanks anways.:D

mathie

Biggins wrote: »

Yes, a number of times this year!
(whats more, I continue to highlight such an issue as here: "The Perks Of Government")



Have you protested about anything this year?

Just the one so far this year but it's only June.

Biggins

mathie wrote: »

Just the one so far this year but it's only June.

Fair play to you. At least some of us will not "go quietly into the night".

mathie

Biggins wrote: »

Fair play to you. At least some of us will not "go quietly into the night".

And you too.

But to quote Pulp Fiction 'Let's not start sucking each others ****s just yet'.

WoollyRedHat

I remember hearing recently that they have an nice little expenses tab for the Dail bar as well.