Fraud in the Dail

Topgear on Dave wrote: »

He fixed the road etc

All of them


And he attended a funeral. Very important in Kerry. More important than being honest and having integrity.

joeguevara wrote: »

Ivor callely was imprisoned for expenses fraud.

Is there a source OP?

https://m.independent.ie/opinion/comment/kevin-doyle-a-can-of-worms-has-been-opened-and-its-up-to-tds-to-try-to-close-it-38653854.html

joeguevara wrote: »

It's behind a pay wall so couldn't read it. Anywhere else? If true (I'm not doubting) it will be major.

Just register. It's free or read below . Source INM.

Let's start with a hard truth: they are not all at it. The string of "gates" to hit our political classes in recent months has been very damaging for public trust.

It would be easy to dismiss "Swing-gate", "Votegate" and now "Fobgate" as evidence that corruption is rife and no one is to be trusted.

However, to do so would be a great disservice to our democracy and would also let those who are "at it" away scot-free.

While the House of Commons shouldn't be used as a basic barometer against which to judge our TDs, we are not badly served in this country.

A majority of Dáil deputies work hard, both in Leinster House and in their constituencies.

But a can of worms has been opened and, weirdly, it will fall to the TDs to try to close it again.

Maria Bailey's compensation claim over a fall from a swing is an isolated incident that has seen a small number of politicians dragged over the coals.

But the revelations about widespread phantom voting in the Oireachtas have brought the entire system into disrepute.

It has exposed a harsh reality, which is that a Government operating under confidence and supply doesn't give a toss about losing votes.

Every week, different opposition parties put down motions calling for policy change on climate action, agriculture, taxation and so on.

As a result, the topic gets a brief mention at Cabinet and ministers decide whether it is worth fighting the latest Opposition whim or not. Very often they simply decide to abstain on the vote when it comes before the Dáil.


Opposition TDs will appear in the media to declare "the will of the Dáil" but it's largely meaningless because the Government ignores them.

It is this sense of "insignificance" that led TDs to start flouting basic rules such as the idea that they should be present and voting.

Fianna Fáil's Lisa Chambers said she didn't think there was any need to correct the record after she voted twice because it didn't matter.

The events inside the chamber have now led us to look at the wider behaviour of TDs in Leinster House, in particular their attendance records and ability to claim lucrative expenses. It is the first time since the current system was introduced in 2010 that there has been any genuine effort to investigate its operation.

The "clock-in" system was brought in because the old unvouched expenses scheme was seen as open to abuse.

Now it seems the newer version isn't watertight either. TDs must be in Leinster House for at least 120 days to qualify for payments worth up to €34,000 annually. To prove their presence, they swipe a fob in front of one of more than 20 electronic scanners.

But there is no way of knowing who actually did the "clocking in". Could it be a secretary? A parliamentary assistance? Another TD?

And there is no process for "clocking out". The gates of Leinster House open at 7.30am, so in theory a TD could sign in then, leave the engine running and be on the road within minutes.

Michael Healy-Rae is caught in a bind by our story that shows he managed to attend a funeral in Sneem and clock in at Leinster House on the same day.

He has yet to explain how this bilocation is possible, but he is unlikely to be the only TD with questions to answer.

The colourful Independent is just the one unlucky enough to get caught out.

The Oireachtas has been slow to acknowledge a problem with the rules too loose.

At the best of times, our TDs get a bad rap for being "dodgy" or "in it for themselves". Only they can change that perception.

In the meantime, the Oireachtas must instigate reforms so that we can trust the system even if we don't trust the politicians.