Generous TD Motoring expenses

deandean

How's this for a nice mileage allowance? Makes me SICK. If I tried claiming for this stuff I would be murdered by Revenue.
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/richard-boyd-barrett-claims-12000-for-car-repairs-and-travelling-12km-to-dail-3263871.html

Richard Boyd Barrett claims €12,000 for car repairs and travelling 12km to Dail

Thursday October 18 2012
PEOPLE Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett is using taxpayers' money to pay for repairing his car.

The left-wing TD has been a strident critic of Government cutbacks and this week challenged Taoiseach Enda Kenny in the Dail over the reduction in home-help hours.

But he has confirmed that he claimed €12,000 last year in expenses for travelling to the Dail from his home in Glenageary, in his Dun Laoghaire constituency -- a distance of just 12km.

He said he used the full amount for travel expenses -- including his car-repair bills.

"First of all, my car had to be repaired several times because I use it so much. I travel sometimes twice a day back and forth from Dun Laoghaire," said Mr Boyd Barrett.

According to the Leinster House sources, the TD is allowed to have his car repair costs included in his travel expenses. Under the rules, TDs are entitled to take a number of other travel costs into account, besides fuel.

These include oil, tyres, insurance, car tax, driving licence, AA membership and maintenance, such as car repairs.

Mr Boyd Barrett told Newstalk's 'Breakfast Show' he recognised that the €12,000 payment for travel to the Dail and around his constituency was an "overly generous allowance".

Unlike rural TDs, Dublin-based TDs do not have to use their €12,000 'travel and accommodation allowance' to pay for hotel accommodation because they live close to the Dail.

Mr Barrett said he only took less than the average industrial wage from his €92,000 Dail salary for this reason.

"Ordinary workers wouldn't get that kind of support for their travel and subsistence," he said.

Mr Boyd Barrett takes around €24,000 per year, after tax, for his personal use.

This means that he is accepting a gross salary of around €29,000 out of his €92,000 TD's salary.

But rather than giving the remainder of his salary back to the taxpayer, he donates it to the People before Profit group, the anti-household tax campaign, the Save our Seafront campaign in Dun Laoghaire and the campaign to keep the 24-hour A&E department in Loughlinstown Hospital.

TDs do not have to provide any proof of their individual mileage or travel costs -- although they do have to turn up to the Dail for 120 days in the year in order to claim their full expenses.

Those living within 25km of the Dail receive €12,000 per year tax-free and this rises to €37,000 per year if they live more than 360km away.

- Michael Brennan Deputy Political Editor

MadsL

I forget. Isn't there a DART or something that runs from Glenageary?

Must be bothersome when the car acts up to have to catch it.

People before Profit. Riiiight. Whatever you are having yourself there Richard.

Drummerboy08

Sure you'd buy a decent second hand car and run it for 24km a day for 12k.

Another example of the tools running this country.

Iwannahurl

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Sure you'd buy a decent second hand car and run it for 24km a day for 12k.

Another example of the tools running this country.

Fair point. Some of that 12k may be 'mileage' but if the repair bill for a banger is excessive it makes no sense to keep throwing (taxpayers') money at it.

Fair point also re public transport. If there are decent public transport links then RBB should be using those whenever possible.

Finally, I'm sure there are some intrepid souls over in the Cycling forum who would regard a 12km cycle as a doddle.

Welease

Most people probably don't want to hear it... and yes, the country is broke etc etc etc..

But it's a senior employment position (in the grand scheme) and not dissimilar to many private companies car allowances, many of which are based on grade/seniority rather than any required mileage...

It's not that uncommon, and it's not that excessive... As an example I (and many others I know) get €10K+ per year car allowance and primarily work from home or travel short distances into office..

Atomic Pineapple

Welease wrote: »

Most people probably don't want to hear it... and yes, the country is broke etc etc etc..

But it's a senior employment position (in the grand scheme) and not dissimilar to many private companies car allowances, many of which are based on grade/seniority rather than any required mileage...

It's not that uncommon, and it's not that excessive... As an example I (and many others I know) get €10K+ per year car allowance and primarily work from home or travel short distances into office..

Do you work for a company that's billions in debt though and taxing a country to death to pay for that debt?

uck51js9zml2yt

draffodx wrote: »

Do you work for a company that's billions in debt though and taxing a country to death to pay for that debt?

its a disgrace that we pay to get his car fixed.
my job pays mileage allowance for work purposes.
I have to make sure it stays on the road from my own pocket.

Iwannahurl

http://richardboydbarrett.ie/tag/bus/

http://pbpdubcentral.wordpress.com/2009/01/

Actually, Google Maps says the trip is 14km by car, 12 km "walk".

Welease

draffodx wrote: »

Do you work for a company that's billions in debt though and taxing a country to death to pay for that debt?

No I don't.. but on the reverse, they wouldn't be able to attract a high calibre of employee if they paid substantially less than the going rate for senior positions... like it or not 12K is not excessive..

(lets not getting into an arguement on whether our politicians are good or bad.. we as a country vote them in )

To my original point.. 12K is not excessive for car allowance in that wage bracket..

Blazer

Welease wrote: »

No I don't.. but on the reverse, they wouldn't be able to attract a high calibre of employee if they paid substantially less than the going rate for senior positions... like it or not 12K is not excessive..

(lets not getting into an arguement on whether our politicians are good or bad.. we as a country vote them in )

To my original point.. 12K is not excessive for car allowance in that wage bracket..

agreed..it's a normal car allowance..
At my company starting is 10,000 and goes to 20k+ for directors etc.
Roll on my next pay grade.... woohoo car allowance

STI V5

Welease wrote: »

Most people probably don't want to hear it... and yes, the country is broke etc etc etc..

But it's a senior employment position (in the grand scheme) and not dissimilar to many private companies car allowances, many of which are based on grade/seniority rather than any required mileage...

It's not that uncommon, and it's not that excessive... As an example I (and many others I know) get €10K+ per year car allowance and primarily work from home or travel short distances into office..

Your name isnt Enda Kenny by any chance !!! 10+ per year car allowance for short journeys and mainly working from home !!! Got to get me one of these jobs !!

Guy:Incognito

Welease wrote: »

Most people probably don't want to hear it... and yes, the country is broke etc etc etc..

But it's a senior employment position (in the grand scheme) and not dissimilar to many private companies car allowances, many of which are based on grade/seniority rather than any required mileage...

It's not that uncommon, and it's not that excessive... As an example I (and many others I know) get €10K+ per year car allowance and primarily work from home or travel short distances into office..

If a private company wants to run itself in to bankrupcy paying people 100k a year for petrol that's their choice. He doesn't work for a private company.

Hal Decks

A €12k car allowance to any PAYE worker is subject to full taxes, the money paid to Barrett was not. His €12k is the equivalent to €25k to a Private Sector employee.

As for his €92k salary? He's taking it all what he does with it afterwards is his own business.

Zubeneschamali

Welease wrote: »

they wouldn't be able to attract a high calibre of employee if they paid substantially less than the going rate for senior positions

They "attracted" Richard Boyd Barrett, how much worse could it get?

Boskowski

Ridiculous. That's why expenses are like a Euro or 70 cent or whatever per kilometre in the first place. Cos depreciation, repairs, fuel - everything really - is supposed to be contained in that already.

Cerco

It is very easy to be critical of Boyd Barrett but it is us who are the fools allowing a system like that to continue in these recessionary times.
He could quite rightly say he is fully compliant with the rules and let us not forget he is just one of the 166 TD's who avail of these outrageous vulgar expenses.

Hal Decks

Cerco wrote: »

It is very easy to be critical of Boyd Barrett but it is us who are the fools allowing a system like that to continue in these recessionary times.
He could quite rightly say he is fully compliant with the rules and let us not forget he is just one of the 166 TD's who avail of these outrageous vulgar expenses.

No. In this case RBB should be pilloried as this is nothing short of sheer hypocrisy.