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Mick Wallace (It's a great life!!)

DenMan

Only in Ireland would this happen!

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/mick-wallace-tops-up-pay-with-41000-dail-perk-3221621.html

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donalg1

Anyone wrote: »

Some higher some lower. I think the news is that someone who defrauded the state is allowed get 41k in "expenses". Added to his salary, and his pension, it all adds up to a nice chunk of taxpayers money.

The man sickens me by the way...his appearance, his general demeanor, the fact he wont resign, his on going thievery of Irish taxpayers money.

There is also the fact that he was very quick to announce that he was giving half his salary back, whilst at the same time applying to receive this which of course he wasnt so quick to announce.

bamboozle

why 4 years into this recession are these allowances even available to politicians...we suffered death by 10,000 cuts, we now need our leaders to make the 10,000 small steps to sort this mess out...and every penny our government spends should be fully justified given our current woes.

read last night about some clown councillor from wexford who has been living in Oz for last year while still claiming his councillor allowances.

Only in Oireland.

JohnMarston

Does he have to declare where that 41,000 is going to, with receipts and such?

donalg1

JohnMarston wrote: »

Does he have to declare where that 41,000 is going to, with receipts and such?

Doubt it, sure we all know where its going anyway either on jaunts abroad to watch Ireland play in the Euro's or trips to his vineyard or turin apartment.

Dockington

That's it, I've had enough. I'm telling Frau Merkel. I reckon its not too late to hand over the reins to the country now if we ask nicely.

Fenian Army

He gets the allowance because he doesnt have a big party and its resources behind him. If independents didn't get it they would be at an even bigger disadvantage then they are now and wouldn't be able to serve their constituents.

martingriff

Monty Burnz wrote: »

The only problem I have with them is that they haven't cut nearly enough. Of course, that would make them massively unpopular with every special interest group - but it's what is needed. The wages for advisors stuff is of zero consequence - just fluff for the media.

You need to distinguish between what Obama has done/tried to do and what Congress has done. The Republicans have spent 4 years blocking every move he has tried to make, then blaming him for nothing getting done.

I agree the Republicans have made things harder when they got control waas it not 2 years ago. What did they do before that. The semocrats are there own worst ememy at times. But as they say "its the economy stupid". Unemployment is high people have less money and fuel is sky high.

Yes the goverment need to do unpopolar decission but they are pussy futting around it untill they can trot either 1 of 2 lines "Its the Troika" or "It was all Fina Fail" Now while it is true its is not Final Fail who is making them pussy foot. What they need to do is just do it and thats no body fault if they dont except there own. Next election will be between FF, FG & SF(god help us).
IIn relation to the allowances, & advisors it does matter as it shows those in high positions with power can get anything and lowest paid staff (in the public service) and the rest of the people get it handed to them before the top people

Monty Burnz

Fenian Army wrote: »

He gets the allowance because he doesnt have a big party and its resources behind him. If independents didn't get it they would be at an even bigger disadvantage then they are now and wouldn't be able to serve their constituents.

Nonsense. As I said, it was brought in by Bertie to buy independents.

Biggins

Pj! wrote: »

Does every other TD get this allowance? If so it's hardly newsworthy to report that Mick Wallace gets it too.

No, just independent TD's get it as far as I've been told.

Biggins

JohnMarston wrote: »

Does he have to declare where that 41,000 is going to, with receipts and such?

No. Not a thing.

westendgirlie

I would really love this country to go bankrupt for no other reason than all those slimey politicians will get zilch and all their contracts would be nil and void.

I'm still disgusted that the man hasn't resigned.

:mad::mad::mad::mad:

bijapos

Monty Burnz wrote: »

That allowance was put in place by - drumroll - Bertie Ahern as a sop to Jackie Healy-Rae, Michael Lowry and other dodgy-as-f*ck independents to buy their votes in support of Fianna Failure governments.

It's worked out as well as most other Fianna Failure strokes - short term 'success', long term failure.

And FG haven't done a single damned thing to get rid of it (no surprise here). The €41,000 is also a leaders allowance for party leaders so that goes straight into Enda or FG's pocket.

Monty Burnz wrote: »

The guys who brought the country to its knees are Fianna Failure.

.........lets conveniently forget FG's role in this in massive unsustainable and badly planned rezonings acroos the country, let's also forget that they were trying to out auction FF in parish pump political promises in the 2007 GE. They would have been no different, instead of shouting stop, they roared the unsustainable bubble on.

Monty Burnz wrote: »

The only problem I have with them is that they haven't cut nearly enough. Of course, that would make them massively unpopular with every special interest group - but it's what is needed. The wages for advisors stuff is of zero consequence - just fluff for the media.

No they are hugely important, very symbolic and a good measurement of how serious FG/Lab are on cutting down the gravy train. It seems so far that they have no intention of cutting down on it at all.

Fenian Army wrote: »

He gets the allowance because he doesnt have a big party and its resources behind him. If independents didn't get it they would be at an even bigger disadvantage then they are now and wouldn't be able to serve their constituents.

If you think they should have it then it should be vouched, and up to an amount well below €41,000

Biggins wrote: »

No, just independent TD's get it as far as I've been told.

All party leaders get it too.

Uriel.

bijapos wrote: »

And FG haven't done a single damned thing to get rid of it (no surprise here). The €41,000 is also a leaders allowance for party leaders so that goes straight into Enda or FG's pocket.

.........lets conveniently forget FG's role in this in massive unsustainable and badly planned rezonings acroos the country, let's also forget that they were trying to out auction FF in parish pump political promises in the 2007 GE. They would have been no different, instead of shouting stop, they roared the unsustainable bubble on.

No they are hugely important, very symbolic and a good measurement of how serious FG/Lab are on cutting down the gravy train. It seems so far that they have no intention of cutting down on it at all.

If you think they should have it then it should be vouched, and up to an amount well below €41,000

All party leaders get it too.

You sound like a Fianna Fáil zombie.

bijapos

Uriel. wrote: »

You sound like a Fianna Fáil zombie.

Total opposite in fact. You can check out my posts on the politics forum which back this up.

I've always struggled as to who to put at the bottom of the ballot sheet, FF or FG, I have equal contempt for both and had no faith in FG changing the system to any great extent after 2011. I tend to vote social democrat or environmental parties. Last time out I voted Green 1, Labour 2 in Dublin SE, not happy with it but IMO the best of an appalling bunch.

Edit: In 2011 I voted Green 1, Mannix Flynn IND 2 and Labour 3 and 4. I gave Flynn a 2 for his work on the arts and child abuse even though he had no hope of getting in .

Monty Burnz

bijapos wrote: »

And FG haven't done a single damned thing to get rid of it (no surprise here). The €41,000 is also a leaders allowance for party leaders so that goes straight into Enda or FG's pocket.

To be fair, I think there have been bigger fish to fry for the last year or so...

bijapos wrote: »

.........lets conveniently forget FG's role in this in massive unsustainable and badly planned rezonings acroos the country,

That was the work of individual councils. They f*cked it up all on their own with no party political agenda.

bijapos wrote: »

let's also forget that they were trying to out auction FF in parish pump political promises in the 2007 GE. They would have been no different, instead of shouting stop, they roared the unsustainable bubble on.

Yup, and I questioned the policy then - to be told by a national political correspondent that if they didn't, they would get annihilated at the polls. The stupidity of the electorate forces that type of politics. Is that the fault of the parties or the voters?

bijapos wrote: »

No they are hugely important, very symbolic and a good measurement of how serious FG/Lab are on cutting down the gravy train. It seems so far that they have no intention of cutting down on it at all.

Nah, they were just total fluff, a non-story whipped up by the media. The whole lot of their salaries added together doesn't approach what Mick Wallace has stolen.

Monty Burnz

bijapos wrote: »

Edit: In 2011 I voted Green 1, Mannix Flynn IND 2 and Labour 3 and 4. I gave Flynn a 2 for his work on the arts and child abuse even though he had no hope of getting in .

Ah yes, the Greens. What a proud record in government they have, propping up Fianna Failure all the way to our near total destruction, abandoning every principle they pretended to in the process...

MOC88

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Ah yes, the Greens. What a proud record in government they have, propping up Fianna Failure all the way to our near total destruction, abandoning every principle they pretended to in the process...

Sounds like a politician - blaming every one else to distract from a problem that their own party are too inept or have no interest in rectifying- total abandoning of personal responsibility and blaming every one else/the system or their own lack of power to make changes
none of them seem tot ake any responsibility and have a serious problem of having inertia/no personal momentum
by the way I'm not affiliated with any party
in every election I feel like picking none of the above

Biggins

bijapos wrote: »

...All party leaders get it too.

Maybe then I'm confused.

On top of ALL their standard wages...

All elected get 41,600 for expenses of running an office, hiring a secretary, etc.

They all get travelling expenses

All get accommodation allowance.

Independents alone also get 41,000 approx as they are just independents (there must be some reason behind this one)

They get phone/mail allowance besides other expenses.

Thats the short version.
The long version can be found here: http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/tdssenators/parliamentarystandardallowance/

Monty Burnz

MOC88 wrote: »

in every election I feel like picking none of the above

I sympathise, but the best you can do is pick the least worst option - or get involved yourself and change things from the inside. Of course, I can't push the latter option too hard because I wouldn't stand for election in this country in a fit. Competing with the likes of Wallace and Lowry for the votes of fools... <shudder>

bijapos

Monty Burnz wrote: »

To be fair, I think there have been bigger fish to fry for the last year or so...

Oh have they? Good to know. 19 Independents X €41K p.a = €800k p.a X 5 years of a dail lifetime = €4,000,000 + . This could be sorted at the stroke of a pen, and they can't do that. FFS, that's incompetence and typical that they don't want to rock the boat and get a hard time in Dail debates. The fact that you regard this as small fish is more than disappointing.

That was the work of individual councils. They f*cked it up all on their own with no party political agenda.

OK. so now FG have no control over their councillors, many of whom are now sitting in the Dail. I never heard any TD shout stop. Did you?

Yup, and I questioned the policy then - to be told by a national political correspondent that if they didn't, they would get annihilated at the polls. The stupidity of the electorate forces that type of politics. Is that the fault of the parties or the voters?

Fault of the parties.

Nah, they were just total fluff, a non-story whipped up by the media. The whole lot of their salaries added together doesn't approach what Mick Wallace has stolen.

Every penny counts, it's just as easy to pay them at the max that was agreed instead of going over. The fact that they can't means that the original agreement means nothing to them and that they have little backbone.

The fact that you try to defend the above is bizarre tbh.

Monty Burnz

bijapos wrote: »

Oh have they? Good to know. 19 Independents X €41K p.a = €800k p.a X 5 years of a dail lifetime = €4,000,000 + . This could be sorted at the stroke of a pen, and they can't do that. FFS, that's incompetence and typical that they don't want to rock the boat and get a hard time in Dail debates. The fact that you regard this as small fish is more than disappointing.

The stroke of a pen? Or a change in the law, which would require hours committee time, readings in the Dáil, debates and so forth? We are running a current account deficit of over €10,000,000,000 per annum - sure, saving a million of that per year would be handy, but the other 99.99% of the deficit seems to have taken precedence.

bijapos wrote: »

OK. so now FG have no control over their councillors, many of whom are now sitting in the Dail. I never heard any TD shout stop. Did you?

Shout stop to what?

bijapos wrote: »

Fault of the parties.

Please explain.

bijapos wrote: »

Every penny counts, it's just as easy to pay them at the max that was agreed instead of going over. The fact that they can't means that the original agreement means nothing to them and that they have little backbone.

The fact that you try to defend the above is bizarre tbh.

So they should have hired second raters in key advisory posts rather than pay an extra 20k per year or whatever? Would you be happy with a second-rater giving key advice to the minister of health or finance or whatever, when 20k more could hire someone who might save hundreds of millions?

Are you familiar with the concept of 'pound foolish, penny wise'?

zipzoc

Don't give this guy any more money;

http://www.wallacewinebars.ie/

Boycott the mo'fo'!

ArtSmart

anyone that upsets the indo so much, has gotta be doing something right.

read the first few para, he didnt take the money he was entitled to for the first yr or so, and now he is.

boy, does this evil doer need to be exposed.

B.A._Baracus

seamus wrote: »

He's not talking about breaking the rules, he means that if the money's there, the guy is going to take it.

Be honest - if your employer had a scheme whereby you could "claim" a huge chunk of cash each year that was unvouched, untaxed and required no extra effort from you except to fill out a form, you would take it.
You wouldn't refuse it "for the good of the company", you'd take it.

The real problem here isn't that Mick Wallace is taking it, the problem is that this payment exists at all. All these nonsense allowances need to be eradicated across the public and civil sector. In every other sector you get paid your salary and that's it.

Mick Wallace is separately a joke because he got elected on the basis of making changes and challenging the "fat cats" who destroyed the economy, while somehow managing to hide the fact that he was one of these people who destroyed the economy. He's laughing at the people who voted him in. They must fee very silly indeed.

Good post Shemus

I'm just a bit conflicted on this one tho. Not from what anything you said

Just about the whole thing. From a moral stand point.

Obviously this allowance was created by the government themselves. To suit themselves. Making it absolutely legal for them to get this....

I raise an eyebrow at that tho

If its legal of them to abuse things .. Is it really that bad if someone abuses the system illegally?

Take someone on the social welfare but who is also getting a weeks wage. The public belief is that this person is a boil on society. But how is he different from them? One type creates the law and the other type abuses it .... but yet there is more talk about the comman man working the system that the other.

ilovesleep

So lets see!

Wallace is getting a salary of 93,000 a year. And he is due to give up have of that salary to revenue to pay back the debts that he built up. So that 46k a year with 46k left over for take home pay. And now his pay is being topped up by an untaxed allowance of 41k.

Why is his 41k allowance untaxed?

Biggins wrote: »

Or this: http://www.thejournal.ie/kevin-dwyer-resign-587256-Sep2012/

Jesus christ!
He's not even in this country any more and he's still getting paid.

I saw Bertie's face on the front page of a magazine today. He's the maker of all this fcuking crap with ridiculous pay, perks, expenses and allowances.

How can they justify all this while the country is going down the drain?

Does any of this kind of sh1t with high wages, perks abd pensions and early pensions happen elsewhere around europe? Or is it just here?

Is there anything or anyone that will stop this expense gravy train? FG aren't going to do it. They'll be drilling holes in their own pockets.

Isn't there a country in Europe without a government? How are they getting on now or did they get a government.

Can we not just get rid of ours and save a few bob.

ilovesleep

Shouldn't Wallaces incomes - salary and allowance be combined for revenue and as agreed, pay half.

Ok, here are some sums

Wallace's salary is 93,000
He's due to give up half of that - 46k
Thats 46k left over.
He is now taking a 41k allowance.
So his take home pay is 87k.

But his salary is 93k
His 41k allowance is bringing his salary up to 134,000k a year.
Half of this is 67,000.

So with this allowance he has doubled his 46k take home pay and cheating revenue of 21k.

I still don't understand how this man isn't in prison. Garlic man and car dealership man got prision sentences.

So he didn't get a prison sentence. If anyone else was to cheat revenue or make a mistake in tax returns, they'll be paying what they owe with interest and penalities. Not only this, but they'd be lucky if they'd have enough money left over for a grocery shop. Wallace is still getting a nice take home sum. And was there something reported that he went to Poland to watch a match?

Man, I bet Luke Ming is embarassed to sit beside him in the Dail.

JJayoo

Maybe we can protest to Germany, I mean they kind of own us at this stage. Show them that we will not follow any austerity package until they come in and sort out our ****ty politicians. Bring it to the attention of the rest of Europe that the people who have run Ireland into the ground are still lapping it up.

The problem is that outside of Ireland very few people know whats going on. I have spent a lot of time in France and they all think we are in debt because we have huge houses and are greedy *****.

ilovesleep

JJayoo wrote: »

Maybe we can protest to Germany, I mean they kind of own us at this stage. Show them that we will not follow any austerity package until they come in and sort out our ****ty politicians. Bring it to the attention of the rest of Europe that the people who have run Ireland into the ground are still lapping it up.

The problem is that outside of Ireland very few people know whats going on. I have spent a lot of time in France and they all think we are in debt because we have huge houses and are greedy *****.

Finally, someone who's speaking some sense. I'd actually prefer it. We'd have some hope of survival just by giving ourselves up to Europe. We're giving ourselves up anyway. We might as well hand Merkel the keys.

Ireland is going down. We're going down. If I'm going down, I want to take them with me. I mean I want to take our shower of 'leaders' down and fcuking out.

Edit: we're not all in debt, and we don't all own houses never mind huge houses and we're not all greedy fcukers. I'd say feck all in Europe know our problems.

JJayoo

For a country going down the ****ter it makes no sense that certain individuals are getting paid so much, and lets face it, the Irish people aren't gonna do anything about it. But its ok shur it will all be grand.

zipzoc

I just emailed Mr Wallace, the Taoiseach, Alan Shatter and Brendan Howlin to tell them I think he should resign his Dail seat. If you feel strongly about it I suggest you do the same. Their email addresses are as follows;

webmaster@taoiseach.gov.ie
alan.shatter@oireachtas.ie,
brendan.howlin@oir.ie,
mick.wallace@oireachtas.ie

I walked past his restaurant (Wallace's Taverna in 'the Italian quarter') last Friday night and it was packed. Makes me sick how people can still support a man like this and how willingly they give him their money as he continues to screw all of us day every day.