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.

touts wrote: »

People often say we get the politicians we deserve. Why oh why are the people of Kerry voting for these people. Well they can only vote for the ones on the ballot paper. It doesn't matter how few people vote for them as long as they get a quota of what voted. Until we get a none of the above option we'll be stuck with the 3, 4 or 5 gob****es with the highest vote.

Sure the Healy-Raes will take 2-3 seats in the next election. They won't have any serious opposition. And Kerry isn't unique. Most constituencies have extremely uninspiring ballot papers. Take Tipperary for example. On the next ballot paper we'll have Mattie McGrath, Michael Lowery and Seamus Healy. Three of the worst gombeen independents you could find. And to compound things apparently both Mattie and Lowery are each thinking of running one of their children in the hope of taking another seat. Fianna Fail are running Jackie Cahill (who may well have died since the last election. He hasn't been seen in at least 3 years) and two gender quota female candidates who honest to God have less of a public profile than the possibly dead Cahill. Fine Gael are running Kate O'Connell's sister (who also happens to be Maria Bailey's bestie) on the basis that the elite rich Dublin set need another TD and she is the only one of them who may have visited Tipperary in the past (possibly on a school tour). And then finally we have Alan Kelly. Angry Alan is probably the best of them and certainly the only one likely to get a ministerial job in the next 20 years. But he is the kind of hot headed shoot from the hip lad I wouldn't trust to look after my goldfish nevermind my country. I'm sure we'll have another 4 or 5 single issue candidates and no hopers from the likes of SF Rise, SD, STD, KFC and whatever other splinter left parties pop up over the next few months.

So let's say some of that lot get caught up in the voting scandal or the expenses scandal or whatever the next TD scandal is that comes along. What difference will it make of they are the only names on the ballot paper. 5 of them will still get elected no matter what. Now read back through that list of names and think 5 of that lot are guaranteed seats in the Dail because they are the only names on the ballot. We need a none of the above option on the ballot paper where any candidate still unelected when "none of the above" gets enough votes to fill the remaining seats is automatically eliminated and they are then barred from running in the subsequent by-election to fill the vacant seats. Do that and parties will have to start to seek out and run the sort of quality candidates we deserve to have represent us.

Or run yourself!