John O'Donoghue and his travel spending spree

murphaph

I would be interested to know Joe Higgin's expenses before he lost his seat. I wonder would he have been in a (moral) position to question all this or was he just as bad?

Sizzler

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!

Ah come on now, Im sure the rest of the TD's would also be happy to put on record that they in no way "profit" from these expenses, a lá the esteemed clown-chairle. All these expenses are doing is placing a burden on them of making them live an extreme lifestyle of eating & drinking out all the time and the inconvenience of the terrible commute to their place of work (when they feel like it) Have you people no mercy? Also, dont forget the personal secetary they get to employ.Always handy if you happen to have a family member available for a few hours a week...

Also one to note these expenses ae tax free, in the case of Mr.Woods who has featured earlier in the thread, a total of €134K reeled in, you would have to earn a pre-tax salary of €248K to net this tidy sum. Bit of an eye opener.Thanks Mr.Woods, I really feel like the people of Ireland are getting true value from you and your ilk :rolleyes:

Red Sleeping Beauty

murphaph wrote: »

I would be interested to know Joe Higgin's expenses before he lost his seat. I wonder would he have been in a (moral) position to question all this or was he just as bad?

I don't specifically know what his expenses were or are now but I know that when he was a TD he only took an average industrial wage and has promised to do the same now as an MEP. Not sure whether the rest of the money is put into the SP or is dontated to a charity.


Email him and ask : info@joehiggins.eu ; info@socialistparty.net
don't know if he has a more personal email available though.

donkey balls

murphaph wrote: »

I would be interested to know Joe Higgin's expenses before he lost his seat. I wonder would he have been in a (moral) position to question all this or was he just as bad?

murphaph i remember reading something about joe higgins only taking the average industrial wage 32,000 euro from his TD salary and the rest going to the party.

Red Sleeping Beauty

Riskymove wrote: »

not true I am afriad he does not leave the party

he is still a FF TD but is required to act in a certain role in the Dail and be impartial

Then Thomas Byrne FiannaFail TD was lying on Vincent Browne the other night - 14:50 http://www.tv3.ie/shows.php?request=tonightwithvincentbrowne&tv3_preview=&video=13746

dodgyme

Deleted User wrote: »

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.

Yeah but you need one gone to create precedence

donkey balls

donkey balls wrote: »

murphaph i remember reading something about joe higgins only taking the average industrial wage 32,000 euro from his TD salary and the rest going to the party.

With expenses like those to be made, I think I could comfortably live off the 'average industrial wage' too. In fact, keep the wage altogether, give it to charity, elect me and I'll just take the expenses.

thebman

Deleted User wrote: »

With expenses like those to be made, I think I could comfortably live off the 'average industrial wage' too. In fact, keep the wage altogether, give it to charity, elect me and I'll just take the expenses.

I could do it on half the expenses and I'd probably (read definitely) do a better job (than the current lot, not you)

Riskymove

donkey balls wrote: »

the same can be said about the rest of them teachers/cival servants on career breaks

civil servants cannot be elected, they have to quit in order to even run for election

Riskymove

Alan Rouge wrote: »

Then Thomas Byrne FiannaFail TD was lying on Vincent Browne the other night - 14:50 http://www.tv3.ie/shows.php?request=tonightwithvincentbrowne&tv3_preview=&video=13746

it doesn't seem to work at the moment; you might tell me what he said?

anyway, perhaps he's just wrong rather than lying?

anyway...

http://ceanncomhairle.oireachtas.ie/role.asp

On assuming office and to ensure his unique role of presiding impartially over the proceedings, the Ceann Comhairle by tradition precludes himself from active participation in politics but remains free to make representations on behalf of constituents.

so there ya go, he preculdes himself, probably stays away from party meetings etc, but its only temporary and he does not have to quit the party

bonzos

you might as well forget about it lads,he is in the clear ...laughing all the way to the bank

murphaph

Would the french jut forget about it or would they take to the streets until he resigned? If the people take to the streets and engage in work stoppages, he WILL resign. It's up to the people. You can't be sheep forever.

murphaph

murphaph wrote: »

Would the french jut forget about it or would they take to the streets until he resigned?

They used to like protests anyway. Then they elected the guy who say he would powerhose protestors off the streets, and they were protesting about life and death in the Algerian ghettoes which some might say is more serious.

Riskymove

murphaph wrote: »

Would the french jut forget about it or would they take to the streets until he resigned?

as far as i can see sectors of the french population strike or protest to protect their own interests not to help eachother or for the greater good

french politics has included some of the most profilgate chancers in history; CJH idolised them for fecks sake; i dont recall any protests

murphaph

Riskymove wrote: »

as far as i can see sectors of the french population strike or protest to protect their own interests not to help eachother or for the greater good

french politics has included some of the most profilgate chancers in history; CJH idolised them for fecks sake; i dont recall any protests

Ok, so don't look to the french for inspiration. Don't look to anyone for inspiration, but I GUARANTEE you if a million people turned up outside Leinster House on Monday morning and said "we're no leaving until O'Donoghue walks out and we'll be back if tight expenses legislation hasn't been drafted in 2 weeks" thaO'Donoghue would be pushed out the door and the legislation would be drawn up. It's 4.5million against 166 folks. People NEED to take to the streets-if you don't then you DESERVE to be ass-rap3d by these thieves in leinster House!

Riskymove

murphaph wrote: »

if a million people turned up outside Leinster House on Monday morning and said "we're no leaving until O'Donoghue walks out and we'll be back if tight expenses legislation hasn't been drafted in 2 weeks" thaO'Donoghue would be pushed out the door and the legislation would be drawn up.

lol, perhaps this is how we should operate generally and forget about elections, etc, sounds like fun:pac:

murphaph

Riskymove wrote: »

lol, perhaps this is how we should operate generally and forget about elections, etc, sounds like fun:pac:

You can laugh out louad all you want mate but I can tell you something-those thieves are laughing quietly at you everytime they get their unvouched expenses cheque

Elections are only useful when there's a credible opposition. I haven't seen ANY credibility in the opposition this week. Have you? The power is derived from the people. We can take it back.

Riskymove

murphaph wrote: »

those thieves are laughing quietly at you everytime they get their unvouched expenses cheque

Oh i agree that the expense system for TDs is in need of reform but I certainly cant see how we can ask anyone to resign over that...TDs get what the system pays

..however, the issue about JOD is quite different

in any event its really down to South kerry (a la North Tipp for Lowry) as to what the future holds for JOD

if a million people cannot motivate themselves to protest about Government failure, NAMA, or Lisbon or other far-reaching things that affect their lives, I cannot see how this works for "expense reform"

dodgyme

bonzos wrote: »

you might as well forget about it lads,he is in the clear ...laughing all the way to the bank

I find this too hard to accept. I now know why they removed the grassy knolls around leinster house for a car park.

Riskymove

Riskymove wrote: »

in any event its really down to South kerry (a la North Tipp for Lowry) as to what the future holds for JOD

I'm not sure it is. Lowry was re-elected by his constituents. O'Donoghue need not face the voters here.

Riskymove

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm not sure it is. Lowry was re-elected by his constituents. O'Donoghue need not face the voters here.

well, eventually he will have to make a decision to face the electorate or retire

if he reaches the next election as Ceann Comhairle, he is automatically returned, I know that

markpb

Riskymove wrote: »

Oh i agree that the expense system for TDs is in need of reform but I certainly cant see how we can ask anyone to resign over that...TDs get what the system pays

Which would be true if the TDs didn't set "the system".

Riskymove

markpb wrote: »

Which would be true if the TDs didn't set "the system".

yes but the system is there a long time...its difficult to turn around to one TD out of 166 and say "oh your expenses are bad you should resign" when all of them are in receipt of them for years

whats required is reform of that system and allow someone other than TDs design it perhaps

murphaph

Riskymove wrote: »

its difficult to turn around to one TD out of 166 and say "oh your expenses are bad you should resign"

No it's not. He took the p!ss out of us all with his extravagance and come on folks, he KNEW a limo ride from terminal to terminal was extravagant and he did it anyway because he couldn't give a toss about "scum" taxpayers. He's no different to P. Flynn who though he was so much better than the rest of us plebs. W@nkers the lot of them. If the people want to make an example out of John O'Donoghue then that's what should happen. He's not the only one takin the p!ss, we know that. It doesn't matter-we don't have to be fair and equitable with John O'Donoghue because he wasn't fair and equitable with us!

Riskymove wrote: »

whats required is reform of that system and allow someone other than TDs design it perhaps

Yes, but that would mean the TDs authorise some else to set their pay and there is clear resistance to that as evidenced by the deafening silence from the opposition benches around this matter. That's unfortunately why is has come to the point that either the people get off their lazy complacent ars3s or shut the fcuk up and NEVER complain about a sleazy fleecing thieving ploitician EVER again!

dodgyme

Riskymove wrote: »

yes but the system is there a long time...its difficult to turn around to one TD out of 166 and say "oh your expenses are bad you should resign" =

I disagree.

He is one of 166 people suppose to represent this country and work for his country in his duties where claiming expenses. JOD has done neither. He is in a political chamber which represents our democracy and as such cannot plead ignorance. If so he shouldnt be there and he should know this. JOD is a pure disgrace and should resign.

The length of time it took him to explain or apologise etc was a joke. It is not ... I repeat not acceptable, not just in the current climate but in any climate considering his role as a select few elected to represent those who made the effort to give them their vote.

People dont give votes to lads who go to the far greater effort to leave a terminal building and get a limo (of a FF supporter) to another terminal within the same airport and have to go through security a second time (????) to get to the gate (it beggars belief????) rather than the much more convenient option to pop on the airport shuttle or walk the along the moving carosels to swap terminals. It was an exercise in feathering a nest and thats all.

He actually 'put himself out' to get the limo????????

Riskymove

JOD has done neither

No it's not. He took the p!ss out of us all with his extravagance

sigh

I am talking about the expense system for TDs not the JOD issues.

There are 2 different things as I have been trying to point on this thread several times

the limos, hotels etc that are at issue have nothing to do with the TD expenses system

Sizzler

Slightly OT for a moment but how many people on here have actually written to their TD to ask them to comment on their expenses as published here -

http://www.unitedpeople.ie/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=actual&linkpath=http://www.unitedpeople.ie/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/IMG_0007.jpg&target=tlx_piclwkl

My two local TD's managed to rack up €184k between them despite only living a few miles from their place of work :rolleyes:

One of them only got elected in the last election! I doubt if I will even get a reply but we'll see how we get on.

murphaph

murphaph wrote: »

No it's not. He took the p!ss out of us all with his extravagance and come on folks, he KNEW a limo ride from terminal to terminal was extravagant and he did it anyway because he couldn't give a toss about "scum" taxpayers. He's no different to P. Flynn who though he was so much better than the rest of us plebs. W@nkers the lot of them. If the people want to make an example out of John O'Donoghue then that's what should happen. He's not the only one takin the p!ss, we know that. It doesn't matter-we don't have to be fair and equitable with John O'Donoghue because he wasn't fair and equitable with us!

Spoke to a FF senator yesterday who said O'Donoghue would or should have known every cent of what was spent. The senator said he has gone to conferences and the like, and while he can't speak for the CC they get an itinerary beforehand with prices of various hotels and transport arragements and various alternatives on it. The senator I spoke to said he goes for the cheapest precisely because only a fool would think this information wouldn't come out at some stage or other.

Riskymove

Deleted User wrote: »

Spoke to a FF senator yesterday who said O'Donoghue would or should have known every cent of what was spent.

I disagree, Minister in my experience would not be that involved in that level of detail. Senators, councillors etc are more involved in organising their own schedule

however, as i've said before, JOD must have known that he was staying in hotel rooms that were more expensive than needed, or limos instead of walking etc.

he could certainly have let his staff now what level of luxury he wanted etc

murphaph

Sizzler wrote: »

Slightly OT for a moment but how many people on here have actually written to their TD to ask them to comment on their expenses as published here -

<raises hand>

Anyone else?