John O'Donoghue and his travel spending spree

walshb

Lets face it, nout will happen. It's rife with the lot of them and they will stand by each other and defend till the bitter end

dodgyme

dodgyme wrote: »

I agree but muddying the water will not get JOD of the high chair in Dail Eireann

But if they're all at it, does one resignation appease everyone?

It seems a bit...wrong. He should be the first to go, but just as happened in the UK, it should not stop there and he should take a load of them with him.

walshb

This may sound harsh, but I think jail time is needed for some of these guys and laws brought in to protect taxpayers' money. I mean, if it can be proven that people misused
public money when it was not appropriate and other arrangements could have been made, then jail time. In John's case, he misused funds. It's open and shut, no matter what spin or quoted guideline or excuse they use.

So, going forward, new measures in place to try and stop this. It is blatant thieving

murphaph

walshb wrote: »

Lets face it, nout will happen. It's rife with the lot of them and they will stand by each other and defend till the bitter end

If that's true (and it looks likely) the the ONLY option open to the people is to take to the streets in direct physical action to force the hand of the government. Sounds crazy but really, when the "opposition" doesn't oppose and just does the same sort of stuff.

We all know why NONE of them are screaming for O'Donoghue's resignation. I bet the one's (and there are clearly a few) who don't fleece us taxpayers are really having to bite their lips under their party whips!

Biggins

walshb

Biggins wrote: »

Why does sorry seem to be the hardest word?:) It's not that difficult, especially when it keeps your job

NoSummer

He should be made repay for the difference between the realistic cost and his luxury cost.
e.g. If a taxi from heathrow to Westminster costs 60Stg and a Limousine costs 200 he should re-imburse the taxpayer 140.
Simple as that. Apologies are fine, but actions speak louder than words and would set a future precedent for outlandish spending.

I say put that Ahern guy in Dublin in charge.

Fair play to Noel. A snip at €2,930.

Biggins

Says it all...
(Note the mention of Tom O'Higgins who quit in frustration at the boys refusing to do anything!)

murphaph

Biggins wrote: »

Really disgraceful how he has basically tried to shift the blame to cowering civil servant clerical officers who can't defend themselves in public. It's not on. He's vile.

thebman

Biggins wrote: »

To be honest, its not all I want.
I (and I suspect a lot of folk) want to have investigated the farce of expenses for the whole money grabbing/spending lot!

I mean like Jackie Rea.
Last year €89,000 in expenses alone, this year so far he's up to €69,000!

Tip of the ice berg is what we have got so far and ALL the shower in the Dail collectively don't want us to see the rest of it.





Last year - and this is on top of his HUGE wages!
You will note the "independence allowance" AND the expenses also allowed! Thats approx €130,000 of your tax money folks!





Just look at Fergus O'Dowd (FG) who is only in the job!
Over €114,000 in expenses so far - and he campaigned to the Louth public on the premise that he wanted to cut costs!
Sick, absolutely sick!

If you want to know on reason FG aren't up in arms, just look at honest Enda's expenses Vs Brian Cowens as an example.

They are almost all at it in every party and the independents. I think the press must continue pressing this issue now until reform, there is certainly demand for it. People will want to know and do want change.

murphaph

murphaph wrote: »

Really disgraceful how he has basically tried to shift the blame to cowering civil servant clerical officers who can't defend themselves in public. It's not on. He's vile.

As a matter of interest, has there been any apology at all from someone like Brendan Howlin who presumably can't even hide behind the suggestion that someone else did the booking, or that Ministers have very important things to do which we couldn't understand, and went through that €220k himself?

murphaph

Deleted User wrote: »

As a matter of interest, has there been any apology at all from someone like Brendan Howlin who presumably can't even hide behind the suggestion that someone else did the booking, or that Ministers have very important things to do which we couldn't understand, and went through that €220k himself?

Good point. Labour are a bunch of champagne socialists anyway as evidenced by Mr. Howlin's exorbitant use of my taxes. This is OUR FCUKING MONEY. It makes my blood boil to think how hard people have to work to deliver these taxes into Dublin Castle only for these SCUMBAGS to waste it like this!

We will never get public service spending reform so long as our TD's lead with this example. They have NO MORAL AUTHORITY to push the desperately needed reforms through. The country needs these reforms or it will go bankrupt and they can't happen because (almost) 166 greedy TD's are more concerned about their own pockets than our country.

Riskymove

Deleted User wrote: »

Grotesque. No wonder the likes of Brendan Howlin stared silently at the ground and didn't say a peep.

Some of the expenses are very low, like Micheal Martin who comes in at a fraction of his colleagues in Cork South Central. Are the low ones from people who are just very bad at the whole scam, or do they get other ministerial expenses that do not appear in that list?

I have tried to get some points across during this thread but (particularly as its now very large) i'll repeat some....just to clarify some things (just some facts, not a defense)

1
both JOD and brendan howlins amounts include their allowance for being Ceann Comhairle and Leas Ceann Comhairle, i.e. their salary for that job and thats why they both appear so high, it has nothing to do with limos etc

2
Ministers (including Michael martin and Gormley and all the others) are under a seperate sytem really, their Dail allowances all appear much lower than regular TDs as other things (state cars, travel etc) are recorded elsewhere. They also have a higher starting salary to begin with


EDIT

Noel Ahern is (a) a Minister of state and (b) Dublin based

The further from the Dail you live the more expenses you get

murphaph

Deleted User wrote: »

As a matter of interest, has there been any apology at all from someone like Brendan Howlin who presumably can't even hide behind the suggestion that someone else did the booking, or that Ministers have very important things to do which we couldn't understand, and went through that €220k himself?

Good point but I'm happy the pressure is on one man for the moment as it's easier for them all to absorb the pressure as a unit than as individuals. Labour are a bunch of champagne socialists anyway as evidenced by Mr. Howlin's exorbitant use of my taxes. This is OUR FCUKING MONEY. It makes my blood boil to think how hard people have to work to deliver these taxes into Dublin Castle only for these SCUMBAGS to waste it like this!

We will never get public service spending reform so long as our TD's lead with this example. They have NO MORAL AUTHORITY to push the desperately needed reforms through. The country needs these reforms or it will go bankrupt and they can't happen because (almost) 166 greedy TD's are more concerned about their own pockets than our country.

Riskymove

that article also seems to be giving the figures for 2 years combined

a bit disingenuous, is it from the Mail?

Biggins

Riskymove wrote: »

that article also seems to be giving the figures for 2 years combined

a bit disingenuous, is it from the Mail?

Yes, if your referring to the one listing all the TD numbers but then again, they state it above the figures given in big print, that its over two years.

The below is from the Independent and just for this year.

Riskymove

Biggins wrote: »

The below is from the Independent and just for this year.

and surprise, surprise they are all based a good distance from Dublin

none are Ministers etc

Biggins

Riskymove wrote: »

and surprise, surprise they are all based a good distance from Dublin

none are Ministers etc

Some the closer ones are worse.
As mentioned, F O'Dowd from Drogheda, 40 minutes down the motor way from the Dail = €115,000 (or JUST under it!)
Seriously, thats mad.

Riskymove

Biggins wrote: »

Some the closer ones are worse.
As mentioned, F O'Dowd from Drogheda, 40 minutes down the motor way from the Dail = €115,000 (or JUST under it!)
Seriously, thats mad.

first of all, just to repeat

1
both JOD and brendan howlins amounts include their allowance for being Ceann Comhairle and Leas Ceann Comhairle, i.e. their salary for that job and thats why they both appear so high, it has nothing to do with limos etc

2
Ministers (including Michael martin and Gormley and all the others) are under a seperate sytem really, their Dail allowances all appear much lower than regular TDs as other things (state cars, travel etc) are recorded elsewhere. They also have a higher starting salary to begin with

people are I think reading the JOD story and comparing it to the figures in the article which are not like for like

All TDs (other than Ministers) get a standard set of expenses/allowances

1. the secretarial allowance for office staff (as shown in the clipping about Healy-Rae)

2. expenses for travelling to the Dail and staying in Dublin when the Dail is sitting, this is based on the distance from the Dail

they may also get an allowance if they are Chairing an oireachtas committee


Now, all TDs get this sort of thing, its not necessarily an abuse or crime for them to claim them

without seeing a breakdown of what Fergus O'Dowd's expenses are its hard to comment on why they appear high (although he is not even the highest in his constituency)


The big issue abou JOD is overly expensive or apparantly frivilous costs over what was required...to me thats very different than a general expenses system.

Biggins

Riskymove wrote: »

...The big issue abou JOD is overly expensive or apparantly frivilous costs over what was required...to me thats very different than a general expenses system.

All valid points.

What it boils down to in summary, is implementation of the reforms repeatedly suggested (and repeatedly ignored) by Tom O'Higgins and his department.
I won't hold my breath though for those to happen.

(By the way, it been said to me (by a TD) in the Dail while visiting recently, that they get also €234 "walk around" expenses weekly to cover such further travelling costs.)

Tazdedub

Biggins wrote: »

Some the closer ones are worse.
As mentioned, F O'Dowd from Drogheda, 40 minutes down the motor way from the Dail = €115,000 (or JUST under it!)
Seriously, thats mad.

What our old friend Dr Michael Woods of Dublin North Central about 20 minutes from the Dail and claiming €124,000 in expenses? Remember this is the guy that was the minister who signed the deal on the compensation that would be paid by the religious orders. This man is a disgrace, always has been and always will be, another left over from the Haughey era.

Sorry should have said Dublin North East and the figure is actually €134,000.

In fairness to Michael Woods, he gives a lot of that over in the collection at Mass every Sunday. The others fritter it away on useless stuff.

Tazdedub

Deleted User wrote: »

In fairness to Michael Woods, he gives a lot of that over in the collection at Mass every Sunday. The others fritter it away on useless stuff.

Im sure he does. This is the man that when once asked a local charity function to buy a raffle ticket for a pound or two he said that and I quote word for word " I dont carry any money around with me".

Tazdedub

Tazdedub wrote: »

" I dont carry any money around with me".

What more do you need, apart from faith and a plastic Jesus on the dashboard of the car?

Trust in the Lord man, He will provide.

Biggins

Tazdedub wrote: »

Im sure he does. This is the man that when once asked a local charity function to buy a raffle ticket for a pound or two he said that and I quote word for word " I dont carry any money around with me".

Maybe at his church gate, the collectors should have a credit card machine for his Dail expenses card! :pac:

Deleted User wrote: »

What more do you need, apart from faith and a plastic Jesus on the dashboard of the car?

Trust in the Lord man, He will provide the card....

Fixed your post!

Tazdedub

Biggins wrote: »

Maybe at his church gate, the collectors should have a credit card machine for his Dail expenses card! :pac:



Fixed your post!

I must email the vatican and have Dr Woods added to the list of people for saint hood.

bonzos

what the hell do these chancers do with all this money?they get paid hundreds of €k a year and then claim another windfall in expences.they seem to have the attitude that their wages is for saving and their expenses is for day to day living...and then you still have dopes patting them on the back and buying drink for them! if an ordinary family got €100k ONCE in their lifetime it would set them up and educate thier kids.these wasters get this amount of money every 6 months!

Tazdedub

bonzos wrote: »

what the hell do these chancers do with all this money?they get paid hundreds of €k a year and then claim another windfall in expences.they seem to have the attitude that their wages is for saving and their expenses is for day to day living...and then you still have dopes patting them on the back and buying drink for them! if an ordinary family got €100k ONCE in their lifetime it would set them up and educate thier kids.these wasters get this amount of money every 6 months!

And that there explains why the country's finances are in such a state when they are managed by these idiots who cant survive on 100K?

I know if I was on a 100K a year I would be living quite comfortably and still be able to afford all the sports packages.:D

donkey balls

when all of these f88kers start calling around canvasing i.e fg ff labour etc and god help them if its my house they call to i will bring out a copy of the expences.

and question them about it there all the same gob****es ruining the country & the oposition wanting there turn to ruin it not run it.

example leo varadker trained as a doctor whats he now a TD in oposition
and spokesman for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, what the f**k does he know about trade& employment.

the same can be said about the rest of them teachers/cival servants on career breaks it makes my blood boil if FF hopefully get booted out in the next election and loose the majority of there seats it might send a wake up call to the rest of them