New expenses information today implicating more TD's inc Enda Kenny and Mary Harney

darkman2

Oh dear... it is all coming out in tomorrows papers - I guess now we know why Enda Kenny was so flighty about taking on O'Donaghue's expenses.

Harney racked up a $5,000 bill at a luxury hotel on a trip to the Superbowl - the Superbowl - wtf? Needless to say she did not pay the bill! We did.

Enda Kenny got the taxpayer to pay for a £3,000 limo in London!


As for other expenses and other TD's - the papers should make interesting reading tomorrow!:mad:

rizzee

IrishSerf

kill em all:mad:

darkman2

Noel Dempsey - 14k for limos!:eek:

http://www.independent.ie/

Ruu_Old

"Mr Dempsey last night conceded that spending on his foreign trips had been high. He said steps were being taken to keep costs down in future."

Irish public: oh thats ok then, don't do it again though.

darkman2

Ruu wrote: »

"Mr Dempsey last night conceded that spending on his foreign trips had been high. He said steps were being taken to keep costs down in future."

Irish public: oh thats ok then, don't do it again though.

hmmm I doubt this will be acceptable tbh even for the Irish public. Heads are going to roll over this. Especially after John O'Donaghue was forced out.

CliffHuxtabel

darkman2 wrote: »

hmmm I doubt this will be acceptable tbh even for the Irish public. Heads are going to roll over this. Especially after John O'Donaghue was forced out.

yeah but not exactly a shocking turn of events.

a lot of those TDs must have been ****ting themselves ever since JOD was put under fire.


theyre probably hoping all these expenses details come out at once so no one TD can be singled out

D.Q

why hasnt there been more of a social uprising against this constant barrage of corruption and fat cat spending?

its so fucking irish.

this ridiculous "its grand" attitude that people seem to hold so dear. I really don't know anymore. There is an ever expanding group, of very disillusioned people, that have been mistreated for far too long in this country.

Its all simmering underneath the surface at the moment, but i imagine there will be changes. Definite similarities to the 1930 financial crisis and the aftermath of that. We need change.

Its so ****ing disgraceful that these people have been getting away with this. They are actually complete parodies of themselves.

darkman2

I say we take off, nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

ScumLord

DUH! They're all at it, now bend over and continue to take you anal pounding like a good boy.

drzhivago

Folks some of these things dont bother me

Example

• Spend on government jet-- it is there to be used and if not used why have it
• spend on limos/chauffeur service- these have been booked by embassies consulates abroad and we should be looking for their heads

The things that bother me are 5STar hotels, there is no need for them 4Star and 3 star perfectly good
And when in 5 star hotel out of necessity no need to get a suite as well, rooms are big enough

These are unnecessary expenses that they did have control over

When it comes to food as well, why the Michelin type restaurants
I am a volume and value guy, dont see why we should be paying $300+ for a meal for our representatives

CliffHuxtabel

drzhivago wrote: »

Folks some of these things dont bother me

Example

• Spend on government jet-- it is there to be used and if not used why have it
• spend on limos/chauffeur service- these have been booked by embassies consulates abroad and we should be looking for their heads

The things that bother me are 5STar hotels, there is no need for them 4Star and 3 star perfectly good
And when in 5 star hotel out of necessity no need to get a site as well, rooms are big enough

These are unnecessary expenses that they did have control over

When it comes to food as well, why the Michelin type restaurants
I am a volume and value guy, dont see why we should be paying $300+ for a meal for our representatives

youre right.....these guys should be forced to spend a few weeks living the life of an average joe soap


or at least try using the lonely planet 'on a shoestring' series

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Funny thing is, people think that the next government we vote in won't do it either... It will continue to happen until we, the people, stand up do something about it, but that's not really going to happen

rizzee

drzhivago wrote: »

And when in 5 star hotel out of necessity no need to get a suite as well, rooms are big enough

These are unnecessary expenses that they did have control over

When it comes to food as well, why the Michelin type restaurants
I am a volume and value guy, dont see why we should be paying $300+ for a meal for our representatives

Mary Harney.

A Doozer

DieselQueen wrote: »

why hasnt there been more of a social uprising against this constant barrage of corruption and fat cat spending?

its so fucking irish.

this ridiculous "its grand" attitude that people seem to hold so dear. I really don't know anymore. There is an ever expanding group, of very disillusioned people, that have been mistreated for far too long in this country.

Its all simmering underneath the surface at the moment, but i imagine there will be changes. Definite similarities to the 1930 financial crisis and the aftermath of that. We need change.

Its so ****ing disgraceful that these people have been getting away with this. They are actually complete parodies of themselves.

I share a similar opinion. But the question is always in my mind; how do we change it? As was mentioned in another post above the next crowd will be just as bad. Are we to "execute" a government official until they get it right???

Seriously tho if there is a sane, legal method I am interested to learn what it is and that's sincere.

Snowie

Maybe and this is a crazy one the irish republic will do more about it then just moan and actually protest ?

nah

tallaght01

This was always going to surface.

Once they didn't go hard at it to nail J O'D it was obvious there was loads of them hiding something.

He was too much of an easy populist target for them, and they were very reluctant to go in for the kill.

kincsem

Instead of a general election I propose the

All-Ireland Ass Kicking Contest

Gummy Panda

Enda.. I think its time we ended your contract for Ireland.

Jesus Wept

Posters, please remember to keep this thread on topic - Mary Harney's weight.

peepeep

darkman2 wrote: »

Harney racked up a $5,000 bill at a luxury hotel on a trip to the Superbowl - the Superbowl - wtf?

Maybe she thought it was a super bowl of chocolate pudding?

gleep

Mary Hearney spens $5000 at the superbowl. I wonder, at that time, how many people were laying on trolleys in the hallways of our hospitals stripped of their dignity as visitors & other patients navigate their way around them.

I'm not one for melodrama, but I'd say with the political system we have and the "I'm alrite, mate" attitude of the people politicians actually listen to, Ireland is royally ****ed.

Shryke

We need some fresh blood in our political system. I'm not refering to more politicians.
The whole thing is farcicle. I couldn't really care less but it's interesting to hear all these little details. There's something amusing about it. I think it's all the squirming the fat old backward ***** must be doing.

_Kooli_

Surely there should be mass resignations.
I just cant take a budget from these people.
What in the name of God are they at. There should be a fukn revolution at this rate.
And they just sit there all smug crossing pens through our own take home pay.

omahaid

What is the story though? Do the ministers dictate "Ya, actually, I want a 5 star hotel" or do the civil servants book them one and tell them to show up at the "5star hotel"? Or is it both?

Bad and all as the TD's are, I don't believe that they worry about little details like booking anything for themselves, so should we be asking questions of the people who are arranging the 5 star lifestyle for them?

omahaid

Shryke wrote: »

We need some fresh blood in our political system.

As long as there are pot holes to be filled, people to be moved to the top of waiting lists for houses or operations then we will be stuck with the same old bunch. We're a corrupt nation, so we get what we deserve.

galwayrush

gleep wrote: »

Mary Hearney spens $5000 at the superbowl. d.

She thought it was going to be something large to eat.:pac:

Biggins

So lets get this straight folks - the shower of corrupt expense wasting fcuks in the Dail are spend public money like its water from a tap - meanwhile they want to force monetary cuts on the rest of the public - that means YOU.

Now that are also starting to backtrack big time in the area of tackling public pay, due to over paid union bosses (exposed this week for earning EVEN LARGER amounts for tending to lesser numbers than those in the Dail! HERE) who have been turning the pressure screws on Cowen and Co.
So YET AGAIN - another U-turn.
(If your following the Unitedpeople blog, you will start to note some of the many U-turns by this corrupt shower in government.)

That just leaves few other options to hit, including the unemployed.

Now granted there are those on the dole that just don't want to work. There are those from foreign countries that some have come here just to milk the system - last month alone 22% of those coming in was from Nigeria alone and that official figures HERE (the cost of housing asylum seekers in 2008 was a massive €91m) but there are many, many others, I'd hazard a guess, the majority - that just want to get back to work.
Now the two-faced Mafia in the Dail are going to have a go at them and take their money DIRECTLY away from them.
- For what? So they can still then afford their 5 star hotels?
To have helicopter trips to open friends pubs?
To hire limos like dinkies to play with?
To go horse race meetings in England?
To fly top class on the 747's international "self appointed ambassadors for Ireland" jaunts?
To buy €300+ cuff-links!
To attend super-bowl games?
To have a private musical session with a piano player in your hotel room and after getting a €400 hair do?
and on and on...

So while this is going on, they want in December, to grab money back from those that barely have it.
They will pick on the unemployed more so now - if only because they are not as organised in voicing opposition to their draconian cuts.
- but while they intend to do this - and remember, the Green party is still propping them up and allowing them to do this, this is the same shower of corrupt cunnts that helped cause the massive rise in unemployment in the first place!

Come December - so partly that their life style can continue - the unemployed the elderly, those on lower wages, etc are going to be walloped more now.

- but smile - O'Donaghue will still be in the Dail drawing MASSIVE amounts in earnings as an ordinary TD as well as a massive pay-off from the job he is out of, they ALL will still get their massive wages (Basic TD €106,000), expenses accounts (Jackie Rea being so far 69,000 this year!) and so on....

so if the Irish people want the hypocrite actions to end - THEY HAVE TO GET UP OFF THEIR COLLECTIVE ASSES!

Will they? Nope, the too complacent won't - and the Mafia in the Dail know this and exploit it still.

AckwelFoley

i dont care. honestly.

Venom

_Kooli_ wrote: »

Surely there should be mass resignations.
I just cant take a budget from these people.
What in the name of God are they at. There should be a fukn revolution at this rate.
And they just sit there all smug crossing pens through our own take home pay.

Mass resignations roflol. You're thinking of how English politicians act. Our bunch of cnuts will just keep their heads down until it all blows over.

Its not like its the first time Harneys been in the limelight over expenses either as wasn't she involved in the big Fas scandal regarding hair cuts.

BroomBurner

drzhivago wrote: »

Folks some of these things dont bother me


Example

• Spend on government jet-- it is there to be used and if not used why have it
• spend on limos/chauffeur service- these have been booked by embassies consulates abroad and we should be looking for their heads

The things that bother me are 5STar hotels, there is no need for them 4Star and 3 star perfectly good
And when in 5 star hotel out of necessity no need to get a suite as well, rooms are big enough

These are unnecessary expenses that they did have control over

When it comes to food as well, why the Michelin type restaurants
I am a volume and value guy, dont see why we should be paying $300+ for a meal for our representatives

That's a lie that they're pushing to take the heat off themselves. Do you really think that a department will be billed for something without first requesting it, or knowing what it is?

grenache

A Doozer wrote: »

I share a similar opinion. But the question is always in my mind; how do we change it? As was mentioned in another post above the next crowd will be just as bad. Are we to "execute" a government official until they get it right???

Seriously tho if there is a sane, legal method I am interested to learn what it is and that's sincere.

Its simple. A nationwide shutdown for one day, every week, until change is brought about. Everybody in non-emergency departments should just go on strike. Keith Barry had it spot on, we can change the system if we want, its all down to willpower. Get this government out of power, and force the new one to bring in as many new anti-corruption bills as possible. They could make a few changes to the criminal justice act while they're at it i.e. Give the homeowner the right to use whatever force necessary to defend his/her property against an intruder.

old boy

ah yeah, the same crowd that are always on about how good people on welfare have it, how some one on the dole does a nixer to pay the esb bill or whatever, is comitting unreal fraud, and helping to bankrupt the country, seanie fitzpatrick, alan dukes, and garret the good, are , fcuk i am saying no more.

Biggins

Venom wrote: »

...Its not like its the first time Harneys been in the limelight over expenses either as wasn't she involved in the big Fas scandal regarding hair cuts.

See: http://unitedpeople.ie/greed.html
All you see is click-able for larger size.

More than €31 million paid out in expenses since 2005
Fianna Fail's Ned O'Keeffe has been named as the top expenses earner in the Dáil. According to today's newspapers, the Cork TD's annual claims were more than €75,000 - coming to a total of nearly €305,000 since 2005. Fine Gael's Pat Breen also topped the €300,000 mark, filing expenses of just over €301,000 in the last four years. Of the top 10 expense claimants in the Dail, five are Fine Gael TDs, three come from Fianna Fail and there are two independents. More than €31 million has been paid out to deputies in expenses over the past four years. A further €10.5 million was claimed by Senators. The biggest expense claims ranged between €280,794 and €304,137 for the period between 2005 and 2009. Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny makes the top 10, expensing to the tune of €285,277 during that time.

http://www.tribune.ie/breakingnews/article/2009/oct/25/more-than-31-million-paid-out-in-expenses-since-20/

utick

considering how preachy this bunch gets about carbon footprints they sure like their limos

markok84

Pádraig Pearse must be spinning in his grave, is this what he died for?

OnTheBalls

We need to hold the country to ransom. I propose we just stop working until they call a general election. They would crack within three days. People in Ireland don't even know how to protest properly. This marching to the Dail on a saturday afternoon is a load of bollocks. What we need is people out lying across roads such as the M1, M7, M11, M50 etc.. We need to bring the country to a standstill if you want attention. Whats the point marching on the dail when brian cowan is down in offally sipping guiness. We need to cause major distubance if you really want these people out of office. If such a protest is organised I will be out on the front! Although I can't seem to organise one without people looking at me like I am a headbanger!!

gleep

Time the people of Ireland took a leaf out of Iceland's book, our incompetent corrupt politician a-holes have been doing it for years. The Icelandic government was forced out, by actions like this:

Unless we get up off our collective arse and lay seige to the dept of finance(not with placards but with force) will there be any chance of a change. Anyone interested drop me a pm.

Daroxtar

IMO its about time we slaughtered these neo Burgeious fukkers and fed their remains to pigs. We need a wholescale massacre of these cunts, each and every one of them. Enough whingeing and moaning, lets just kill them. Opposition first because they were so fukking incompetent they couldnt even convince us they were a better option. Wipe the slate clean and start again. And i want to be minister for Justice. And Finance. I'll sort some sh!t out.

caseyann

Who really represents the people in this country?
If so many people are so outspoken about it on the Internet why aren't they arranging marches in all counties all over the country and people walk off the job.If i heard about the march i would go.Question is how many other Irish would bother.It should be a march on elections and cutting their pay and expenses.

diamondgirl

its so irish, i cant understand who are voting for the goverment, get them out i say

jumpguy

What the **** are we gonna do about them? It's easier to list all the politicians who DON'T cost the taxpayer far more than they're actually worth.

We can't just chuck them all out and start again, can we? We can't just start again with a new system? We didn't even know what we were voting for in Lisbon, how can the people know what they think of reconstructing a state?

In Britian, expenses are released, politicians are shamed, people resign left, right and center.
In Ireland, expenses are released, one man has to be basically forced out of his position (John O'Donoghue), the rest just get a feature in the newspaper for a day and no more is said about it.

We even have a man - pretty much proven to be corrupt, still sitting in the Dáil! That's Bertie Ahern. What's he doing there? He was CORRUPT.

What a joke of a country, c'mon, lets all emmigrate like the old times.

Daroxtar

Get the government out and we get the opposition in. Its fukkall difference. Middle aged middle class toss pots looking to line their pockets and set up a nice wee pension for themselves. I'm tellin ya, we need guillotines.

brianthebard

DieselQueen wrote: »

why hasnt there been more of a social uprising against this constant barrage of corruption and fat cat spending?

its so fucking irish.

How fu.cking so? Didn't the same thing happen in England last year? It took a while for people to get riled up ther etoo.

Venom

brianthebard wrote: »

How fu.cking so? Didn't the same thing happen in England last year? It took a while for people to get riled up ther etoo.

The UK media never let the story go tho and MPs resigned pretty dam quick.

brianthebard

Their chairman took ages to resign, we're at that stage in the British developments now.

Hootanany

Check out now The disgraced Anglo Chief Wife with The recently demoted Politician wife is.
you just could not make this stuff up

PeakOutput

its much ado about nothing really the system is broken it should be fixed people shouldnt be hung out to dry over it

there are many many far better reasons to hate the goverment then this

SoupyNorman

One hand just washes the other in Dail Eireann, across all parties. Labor havnt been to excessive with expenses, I believe Joan Bruton was near the bottom of the pile for claiming.

People say it's the system thats broken but this unvouched system can work if the people(the upper echelons of our politicians) who are entrusted to use it dont act the dick, up till now most of them have been acting the dick and they have heads with brains in them (allegedly) where they should of evaluated whether spending €11k on curtains was appropriate, one of hundreds of examples...

The blame goes fully on the individual and they should be made repay from their own pockets.

Johnny Weasel

SoupyNorman wrote: »

One hand just washes the other in Dail Eireann, across all parties. Labor havnt been to excessive with expenses, I believe Joan Bruton was near the bottom of the pile for claiming.

People say it's the system thats broken but this unvouched system can work if the people(the upper echelons of our politicians) who are entrusted to use it dont act the dick, up till now most of them have been acting the dick and they have heads with brains in them (allegedly) where they should of evaluated whether spending €11k on curtains was appropriate, one of hundreds of examples...

The blame goes fully on the individual and they should be made repay from their own pockets.

Good post Soup.;)

K-9

SoupyNorman wrote: »

One hand just washes the other in Dail Eireann, across all parties. Labor havnt been to excessive with expenses, I believe Joan Bruton was near the bottom of the pile for claiming.

People say it's the system thats broken but this unvouched system can work if the people(the upper echelons of our politicians) who are entrusted to use it dont act the dick, up till now most of them have been acting the dick and they have heads with brains in them (allegedly) where they should of evaluated whether spending €11k on curtains was appropriate, one of hundreds of examples...

The blame goes fully on the individual and they should be made repay from their own pockets.

A Country TD will have higher expenses than Joan Burton eg.

Still, why do they need constituency offices? Wtf are Co. Councillors and Citizens Advice Bureaus for?