Tag Archives: expenses

Expenses totalling €12,329 were incurred by 20 Clare county councillors for their attendance at a training conference in Donegal last year. Councillor Gerry Flynn, who did not claim any of his statutory annual training allowance of €3,300, has called on the Government to provide in-house upskilling for councillors at local level, to eliminate the need to travel to the four corners of the country. His call came after almost three-quarters of the 28 elected members travelled up to Buncrana for the Association of Irish Local Government (AILG) conference on May 5 and 6 of last year. Councillors Michael Begley, James Breen, Pat Burke, Bill Chambers, Clare Colleran-Molloy, Joe Cooney, John Crowe, Christy Curtin, Pat Daly, Pat Hayes, Michael Hillery, Gabriel Keating, PJ Kelly, Pat McMahon, Paul Murphy, Richard Nagle, Tony O’Brien, PJ Ryan and Bill Slattery each made the round trip of 672 kilometres. They received payments ranging from €453 for Councillor Christy Curtin to €680 for Councillor Bill Chambers, …

CLARE County Councillors have dismissed claims they are on a “gravy train”. Councillor Pat McMahon said councillors are not benefiting in terms of their expense claims. The Newmarket-on-Fergus councillor told The Clare Champion he knows of several professions who are earning much more. “I know councillors are easy meat and we can be taken out as part of a ‘one-day wonder’. In my honest opinion, we are only getting what is laid down by the minister – no more no less. “Councillors have no say whatsoever in terms of what expenses or allowances they are paid,” he said. Councillor Bill Slattery outlined even if he won the National Lottery, he would still like to work as a councillor, as he isn’t doing the job for the money. The Fine Gael councillor said he gets great satisfaction from being able to help a constituent who has a genuine concern or difficulty. Political representation is part of his family’s tradition, as his …