Councillor's Expenses - Bring in the IMF

The Nark

I will preface what I am about to write by admitting that I am biased. I strongly believe that councillors, senators & about have of those sitting in Dáil Eireann are surplus and indeed, a waste of taxpayers money.

The front page of the Limerick Leader ( 6 November) bore the banner headline "€67,905"

The article went on to detail how Limerick City Councillors had claimed this amount attending various conferences in 2010. It was when I read the finer detail of the article that I was horrified. Here's a sample:-

Labour's Joe Leddin claimed €1,000.00 to attend a Traditional Music Summer School because, in his own words, "I have a great interest in traditional music". So what??? Why should we pay for his interests? And soon, by all accounts, he will try to get on the gravey train of all gravey trains by running for a Labour seat in the Dáil. (are you reading this, Mr. Gilmore??)

Fine Fáil Cllr Kieran O'Hanlon exhibited the art of bilocation by attending two conferences on the same day on 4 March, one in Dublin which ran from 9 am to 5pm & the other in Kerry which commenced on the same day at 1pm.

This was no mean feat when one considers the the AA Route planner estimates the journey to be 299.98 KM with a travelling time of 4 hours 4 minutes. Cllr O'Hanlon was well rewarded receiving over €800 for his trouble.

Cllr Gerry McLoughlin & his daughter Cllr Orla McLoughlin (along with a number of other Cllrs) attended a conference in Ennis where one of the highlights was "research visits to locak taverns" (I kid you not) According to the Limerick Leader the Cllrs managed to spend over €500.00 each at this conference. (are you still there Mr. Gilmore???)

The time has come to say no to this ridiculous nonsense. We don't need these councillors any more than we need senators or hundreds of TDs.

And guess who's going to put a stop to it? Not you or I. No, salvation will come in the form of the most feared 3 lettered acronym in Irish politics - the IMF.

Politicians across this tiny republic have been trying to scare us with threats of the IMF taking over the country. But fear not, Joe Public. You have nothing to worry about. Unless of course you want the tax payer to fund bodhrán lessons, p*ss ups in Co. Clare or teleportation from Dublin to Tralee!!!

Caoimhín

I have been doing a lot of reading on the IMF and their methods when they go into a country.

Quite simply, they are not the "White Knight" some people seem to think they are. The wealthy and the establishment are not the ones who suffer, as always it will be the ordinary person who works hard for a living.

zuroph

Save our city? Thats the plan, when we get rid of city council

Cookiemunster

This isn't a Limerick City issue its a national issue. Its pointless naming individual councillors as every councillor in the country is entitled to claim €10,000 in unvouched expences on top of their salary of €17,000. Until this system is change the vast majority of councillors around the country will continue to go out of their way to claim every cent of the money.
I disagree that calling in the IMF is a good thing though.

Itsdacraic

Save Our Salaries City

RonMexico

The IMF have no power to cut TD's and Cllrs wages. But I agree - they are ALL in it for the money and couldn't give a toss about the rest of us.

Amazotheamazing

The Nark wrote: »

Labour's Joe Leddin claimed €1,000.00 to attend a Traditional Music Summer School because, in his own words, "I have a great interest in traditional music". So what??? Why should we pay for his interests?

He clarified this in the paper by stating he's in contact with the organisers to set up a Traditional Music festival in Limerick with the council's backing. As he said, he sees no reason that Limerick can't have such a festival, do you agree?

There is a lot of waste in the Irish political system but I don't see anything wrong with the council supporting a music festival in Limerick. Hopefully something will come of this.

zuroph

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

He clarified this in the paper by stating he's in contact with the organisers to set up a Traditional Music festival in Limerick with the council's backing. As he said, he sees no reason that Limerick can't have such a festival, do you agree?

There is a lot of waste in the Irish political system but I don't see anything wrong with the council supporting a music festival in Limerick. Hopefully something will come of this.

you don't need to pay a grand to set up a meeting with people to see if they'll run a festival. There'll be plenty out there willing to talk before demanding €1k

goingpostal

Caoimhín wrote: »

I have been doing a lot of reading on the IMF and their methods when they go into a country.

Quite simply, they are not the "White Knight" some people seem to think they are. The wealthy and the establishment are not the ones who suffer, as always it will be the ordinary person who works hard for a living.

+1
You will get no argument from me about our councillors cupidity, avarice, incompetence, and self-serving ways. However, as bad as these people are, the IMF would be much worse. Its a bit like Saddam in Iraq, US occupation there is not an improvement on that tyrant, only a worsening of the situation. What would be ideal is if we could have fair, decent system of local government which served the people who elected the representatives. Oh, what wild, fanciful dreams.......

yosemite_sam

RonMexico wrote: »

The IMF have no power to cut TD's and Cllrs wages. But I agree - they are ALL in it for the money and couldn't give a toss about the rest of us.

When they come in, everything will be up for review

Axe Rake

yosemite_sam wrote: »

When they come in, everything will be up for review

If the IMF comes in we are really fúcked. Last thing we need are these corporate capitalistic scum fúcks sucking the last bit of life out of Ireland.

The Nark

Axe Rake wrote: »

If the IMF comes in we are really fúcked. Last thing we need are these corporate capitalistic scum fúcks sucking the last bit of life out of Ireland.

:rolleyes: Ahem... isn't that exactly what these freeloading cllrs & their cronies in the Senate & the Dáil doing???

gaf1983

Wish I had bought that copy of the Leader, sounds like a good read.

O'Hanlon's bilocation takes the mick, then again there are flights from Dublin to Kerry... somehow it's doubtful that he attended both of them