Cork Capers

simonj

The Irish Independent recently published the expenses claimed by local councillors in Cork County Council for the period 2008-2009.

Here is a synopsis of the findings, the average annual payment to elected councillors was €40,109 the highest for Munster and most likely the highest national average.

The largest payments were to Councillor Noel Harrington of Bantry electoral area who was paid €82,264 in 2008 and €90,690 in 2009.

Expenses claimed by local councillors for attending conferences were €90,385 in 2008 and an astonishing €104,046 in 2009.

The total bill for the County Council for payment to councillors was €2,111,128 in 2008 and €2,319,098 in 2009.

One must ask that at a time when the public are informed by councillors that the County Council is near bankrupt, has laid of hundreds of temporary staff and is not able to provide the finance to provide essential infrastructure for projects like completing the sewage treatment plant for Skibbereen; how can they subsequently justify spending over one hundred thousand euros attending conferences?

How can we the taxpayer afford to pay above the annually full time salary for what is for many a temporary part time job supplemented by full time income elsewhere.

The majority of the councilors have full time jobs in the public and private sector meaning that for many they are on an income of over one hundred thousand euros annually. Some even are town councillors, county councillors and have full time jobs.

Not double jobing but triple jobing, hows that for you.

JoyW

simonj wrote: »

The Irish Independent recently published the expenses claimed by local councillors in Cork County Council for the period 2008-2009.

Here is a synopsis of the findings, the average annual payment to elected councillors was €40,109 the highest for Munster and most likely the highest national average.

The largest payments were to Councillor Noel Harrington of Bantry electoral area who was paid €82,264 in 2008 and €90,690 in 2009.

Expenses claimed by local councillors for attending conferences were €90,385 in 2008 and an astonishing €104,046 in 2009.

The total bill for the County Council for payment to councillors was €2,111,128 in 2008 and €2,319,098 in 2009.

One must ask that at a time when the public are informed by councillors that the County Council is near bankrupt, has laid of hundreds of temporary staff and is not able to provide the finance to provide essential infrastructure for projects like completing the sewage treatment plant for Skibbereen; how can they subsequently justify spending over one hundred thousand euros attending conferences?

How can we the taxpayer afford to pay above the annually full time salary for what is for many a temporary part time job supplemented by full time income elsewhere.

The majority of the councilors have full time jobs in the public and private sector meaning that for many they are on an income of over one hundred thousand euros annually. Some even are town councillors, county councillors and have full time jobs.

Not double jobing but triple jobing, hows that for you.

nice statistics and other "knowledge"..would you care to share your sources, ahem, research sources?

bijapos

The Irish Independent ran the list of expenses claimed by all councillors in Ireland for 2008 and 2009. The articles appeared on
Tuesday 03.08.2010 p16-19
Wednesday 04.08.2010 p16-18
Thursday 05.08.2010 p25-27

This is the link to the cover article on the Tuesday, can't find a link to the other pages, any library should have it. Makes for very interesting reading, all parties are well and truly on the gravy train.