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Politicians paid mileage for attending virtual meetings from their homes

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    #32
    James Brown
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,013 ✭✭✭✭James Brown


    elperello wrote: »
    Like I said last night we don't know the whole story yet but it doesn't look good.

    They have always claimed for journeys they did not make but this is different in that there was no location of a meeting to travel to.

    Poor broadband is a problem in some rural areas which might be a justification for some.

    O'Brien's casual dismissal of €17k pa for a part time job may come back to bite him.

    The best scenario here is charging the tax payer to go from your house to your office. Most if not all companies do not see that as a claimable expense.


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    #33
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,728 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Bowie wrote: »
    The best scenario here is charging the tax payer to go from your house to your office. Most if not all companies do not see that as a claimable expense.

    Is there any other councillor stuff they could be up to that requires travel in their cars?
    I've no doubt they are taking the piss TBH.


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    #34
    RandomViewer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,191 ✭✭✭RandomViewer


    Bowie wrote: »
    Its disgusting if true. I don't care the party.

    Same here, lot of people took a huge hit in salaries this year and these thieving little b#####ds are crying about only getting 17k for a couple of hours work, next they'll be asking for compensation for all the tea and biscuits they've missed out on with no wakes to attend


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    #35
    RandomViewer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,191 ✭✭✭RandomViewer


    Augeo wrote: »
    Is there any other councillor stuff they could be up to that requires travel in their cars?
    I've no doubt they are taking the piss TBH.

    No wakes or funerals, drycleaning bill will be tiny


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    #36
    punisher5112
    Registered Users Posts: 24,644 ✭✭✭✭punisher5112


    Bowie wrote: »
    Some places have a base travel payment which can be topped up depending on distance etc. No idea if that's how they work.
    How did that Callely lad try it? Maybe they put down milage they didn't travel?

    He was using bills for phones where if I recall the phone company wasn't even a thing anymore, god knows what else and who else....

    He upset someone and paid the price.....


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    #37
    RandomViewer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,191 ✭✭✭RandomViewer


    punisher5112 wrote: »
    He was using bills for phones where if I recall the phone company wasn't even a thing anymore, god knows what else and who else....

    He upset someone and paid the price.....

    He'd put in invoices from a phone shop that had closed years earlier and mileage from a holiday home somewhere down south


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    #38
    punisher5112
    Registered Users Posts: 24,644 ✭✭✭✭punisher5112


    RandomViewer wrote: »
    He'd put in invoices from a phone shop that had closed years earlier and mileage from a holiday home somewhere down south

    Yes I was close.....


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    #39
    Johnthemanager
    Registered Users Posts: 250 ✭✭Johnthemanager


    elperello wrote: »
    Just a small caveat.

    That article is a bit light on detail.

    In my experience travel expenses can only be paid when a journey is claimed for.

    The claimant has to sign off that a journey was made.

    I e mailed all the councillors in my municipal district last night, one has replied saying they can't "claim" anything. That they receive an annual allowance based on attending a set number of meetings.


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    #40
    BrianD3
    Registered Users Posts: 8,403 ✭✭✭BrianD3


    Has it been clarified if this is a yearly allowance or an actual per km rate. If the latter and someone is calming they travelled 100 kms to a virtual meeting when it was conducted using Zoom in their normal place of residence, surely that is both fraud and something that Revenue would be interested in.


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    #41
    elperello
    Registered Users Posts: 15,121 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    https://www.clarecoco.ie/your-council/publications/register-of-councillors-expenses-2018-31705.pdf

    This link gives an idea of the expenses claimed.

    I'm using Clare because it is clearly laid out and accessible.


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    #42
    James Brown
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,013 ✭✭✭✭James Brown


    Johnthemanager wrote: »
    I e mailed all the councillors in my municipal district last night, one has replied saying they can't "claim" anything. That they receive an annual allowance based on attending a set number of meetings.

    Thats not very prudent. Its very easy to process a milage claim. Many companies do it based on distance and if its not at home or the regular workplace.


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    #43
    elperello
    Registered Users Posts: 15,121 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    Johnthemanager wrote: »
    I e mailed all the councillors in my municipal district last night, one has replied saying they can't "claim" anything. That they receive an annual allowance based on attending a set number of meetings.

    Having looked into this further I see that at least some of them have been using a system whereby they are paid set expenses for attending regular council meetings.

    This year of course the meetings were held virtually so there was no venue to travel to so expenses should be adjusted.

    Other meetings, official council functions, conferences etc. are claimed for on an individual basis.

    (see link in previous post)


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