15 best selling books!!!!! I don’t think so ……….

cos we should assume they’re all on the take and make it as difficult as possible for anyone to be a politician….?

Yes, Gagsy. It’s called accountability. Most people working in the private sector would be familiar with this. It’s not that difficult.

Honest politicians have nothing to fear.

Ha.

Ha! Exactly, Why break tradition with the “feather your own nest” regime?

SF are not a ‘main party’? I think they are!

Ah red thumbs. Truth hurts, sellouts!

The battery on your sarcasm detector is running low lol

c.€32k if you remove high earners. Think it’s €34,500 if you don’t.

Around 30k as far as I know.

€29k per-annum after tax.

He said €580 per week ……

its whatever they decide it to be. getting a proper figure is very difficult and it doesn’t appear to mean the same thing as other countries.

No it isn’t Laurua.

They take the Average INDUSTRIAL Wage which is 34k before tax, 29k after.

The whole thing about average industrial wage is a smokecreen. It’s not as if the state is better off to the tune of 55K, the money just ends up in SF coffers.

Excellent point, Patrick. If even Bertie himself had claimed that any money from his wages that he then spent on campaign staff, advisors, publicity material, office space and other such political stuff “wasn’t really wages” they’d be laughed out of it.

Defining “wages” as “what I’ve got left from my paycheck after spending x, y and z” has to be one of the most bizarre cons of Irish politics.

Yeah but they’re putting it towards a political party, their chosen ideology. Whether you agree with that party and ideology or not is besides the point. The point is that Bertie spent the money not on politics but on furnishing a life of luxury for himself. Hardly the same thing as putting the money towards something you believe in.

I know … a Political party in the Dail actually creating jobs, rather than destroying them. Its not normal, thats for sure.

They are not real jobs. Just more gravy train stuff.

He has also written 15 bestselling books and is a columnist with the Irish News.

But hey, don’t let facts get in the way!

Paddy, many of the contributors on this forum believe that Gerry should be running the economy.

I was joking. But then, Shinners don’t have much of a sense of humour do then? Sorry. They do. They made Mary Lou deputy leader. And by the way, Adams did NOT have 15 best selling books. What he did have, is the €1million expenses he took from Westminster (that’s a lot of Queen’s shillings) in ten years. Point is, you seem to have no difficulty with a ‘socialist’ having at least two homes and flying first class at a cost of €7,000.

You should explain how Gerry could possibly do a worse job than FF/FG/Labor.

How could Gerry do a worse job? Mmm Let me think. Oh. Got it. Maybe he could go back to the days when his private army, the one he joked about not having gone away, shot people in the back of the head or murdered gardai or set off no warning car bombs or massacred Protestants simply for being Protestants as they did in Teebane and Kingsmill. That’d be worse don’t you think?

I think those days are in the past, and in fairness Gerry Adams played a role in putting it into the past. But keep dragging it up wont’ you? Ian Paisley can work with SF, but you can’t stomach the concept. Wow.

It’s certainly in the past for the hundreds of people Gerry’s mates killed, children included. Has he apologised or explained to Tom Oliver’s family? No. Has he been to Warrington or Birmingham or Caterham to say sorry face to face to the families of the IRA’s victims? No. Has he trousered a million in expenses from Westminster, bought himself a holiday home in Donegal, got himself a chauffeur driven car, flow the Atlantic first class? You betcha.

How far do we go back with the tit for tat stuff? Remember, an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

I didn’t intend to start a silly debate about SF past, especially with somebody who just wants to rant in a one-sided way. My question was about the record of the other political parties. They also have chequered pasts, and their record in this country is one of abject failure. One more time: how could anybody do a worse job than FF/FG/Labor? (and no, your hyperbolic comment about private armies is not an answer)

Hyperboic how? Gerry’s mates DID kill hundreds and hundreds of people, more Irish people than the British Army, Loyalist terrorists and the RUC combined. It is very much the present for their grieving families. As for the distant past… do you really think that actions 100 years ago or more justify actions today? You criticise me for bringing up the past and then talk about the ‘chequered past’ of other parties. Like Sinn Fein, you want it every way; socialist and first class flights; ‘peacemakers’ who won’t apologise or meet their victims’ families; faux democrats. And they have the courage of, well, the kind of people who post on forums anonymously. Wonder if I can think of anyone…

Did you show your passport before writing that comment?

Passport? You’re making less sense than before which is some achievement.
An eye for an eye? Where did I suggest that? It is precisely that kind of crap I despise.
As for using the dishonesty of others to justify Sinn Fein’s actions, well, that’s pretty typical isn’t it.
If you’re in cliche mode, you might realise that two wrongs don’t make a right.

This is still corruption Val. He is guilty of it. The funds that he used to pay that person were from expenses that were meant for travel. That person was not employed by the Sinn Fein party, they were paid with money from the state. I have no problem with him using his actual salary to pay for someone.

Corruption ? Get off your high horse and get a grip .Corruption is not getting someone off the dole queue , it is putting 450,000 onto it . Give me a break .! He is not using it on himself , he is using it for the good of another human being .

Susie, that money was not meant for the purpose that Mr. Doherty used it for. If that money was returned and then put towards the dole or another form of welfare that is fair enough. But the fact is that he used the money for another purpose other than travel expenses. It’s fiddling the book so to speak.

If he had used to money to hire a gardener would that be ok?

Of course not, I hope you will agree.

What he has done is actually worse as he has used the money to the benefit of his political party (which is not exactly short of funds).

@Donal …

You can be damn sure that No-one from Labour/FFg/FF would use any of their expenses to take someone off the Dole. They use all of theirs every year, to coever exactly the same expenses that Doherty used his for…. only difference, Doherty managed to hire 2 part-time staff, as well as return expenses to the Dail.
The majority of Labour/FFg/FF used EVERY penny they were entitled to, to cover their own expenses and nothing else, and returned sweet FA. Put it all in perspective,
Doherty in all innocence published what he was doing with his expenses on his web-site, so that people could see how their money was being spent. How crazy is it, that the guy who gives two non-party members part-time work, and also manages to return expenses at the end of the year to the Dail, is the one who is being chastised, all the while, the greedy money grabbers in FFg/Labour/FF maximise their expenses for their own ends.

And as mentioned above, all this on the day that SF propose the bill to repeal ythe household charge….
Cynical or what?

Cal, he used taxpayer money illegally for the benefit of SF.

This taking people of the dole thing is BS. We don’t know if these people were on the dole or whether they paid tax while working for Doherty. The fact is this is equivalent to a direct transfer of funds to SF.

What other TDs do with their expenses is not the story here. I’m not saying it’s not an issue – I would like to see a breakdown of every TD’s expenses to see if what you say is true.

Doherty, just like O’Snodaigh before him, has been caught misusing tax payer funds. If this was a FF/FG/Lab TD who had been caught doing this, would you be as understanding?

The options for the likes of Gilmore, Burton and Martin are. They could give up over half of their salary to fund their political beliefs and campaigns and save their stagnating parties, from the mass debt and further decline that will come in next election, by doing what the Shinners, the ULA and many indo’s do.

Not a hope, Gilmore and Martin are the types that would take the copper from the walls, as they are laving their party HQ’s for the last time. That lack of political belief and willingness to put politics before your pocket, ruined Ireland for last 50 years, destroyed FF and will finish Lab. in next election as well.

Donal, i swear to you… If i heard that someone from FFg/Labour/FF was doing what Doherty was doing, i would not go after him the way FFg/Labour/FF have done this.
But we all know, no-one from FF/FFg/Labour would ever use ANY money to help anyone other than themselves. Let me put it like this to you…. How can Doherty (who is the longest drive away from the Dail) manage to get by on so few expenses in the first place, to allow him to hire two part-time staff? If you can answer me this, i would really appreciate it. What are the FFg/Labour/FF TDs doing with their expenses, because they are definitely not returning them to the Dail. The story was written in the Journal.ie two weeks ago. And again, as an aside, Doherty actually returned expenses to the Dail also.

You ask legitimate questions re paying tax etc. if he wasn’t paying Tax for his employees, then i think he must face censure in the Dail, the same as any other TD. Is that me being biased in any way?
I 100% agree that the expense system is so corrupt that it stinks to the high heavens of FFg/Labour/FF who designed the system to maximise their own personal gain. They are not breaking the law, as they wrote the law. No right minded person in this country thinks what they are doing is right.
So, if you feel so strongly about expenses being abused, why not support me on this thread and ask Journal.ie to run a poll asking whether or not ALL Dail expenses should be receipted. Otherwise, i am sorry, i really don’t think you are earnest in your horror at how Doherty used his expenses.

Cal, all good points; however, the fact remains the SF and Doherty are benefiting from the misuse of taxpayer funds. This is unacceptable.

This is not his money to disburse. While the rules regarding expenses need to be changed, as they are too lax, that does not mean that we should not condemn those who break the rules that we already have.

It is also worth pointing out that the further away you live, the more travel expenses you get. As we all know, TDs get too much expenses, so it stands to reason that the more you get, the more you get than is necessary, hence the reason for his having money left over. Apologies for the slightly convoluted logic on this last point.

It is corruption. My employer would take a very dim view of me claiming expenses in order to take somebody off the dole.

Yes Doherty is an employer as is clearly stated in the article.

@ Mark ……

Right …. and we employ him also as a representative in the Dail? So he pays ordinary employee tax and employer tax? Sorry I’m just a bit confused. So I would assume that it’s allowed? That these individuals, that were “taken off” the dole are being taxed like the rest of us? Sorry, but this is just so confusing to me. How would Doherty be able to get them jobs with Sin Fein and the Government/job seekers couldn’t get them a job! That’s fantastic. He’s great. So are these people members of Sin Fein, or would they be supporters of Labour/Fine Gael etc.? I suppose you’re going to tell me that it’s immaterial? OK ;)

Try reading the article Sheila. It clearly states they are not members of SF.

Doherty was avoiding tax? Got any evidence of this davie?

Do you think a politician spending €800 expenses for a room per night per person could be categorised as “fiddling the system” Dave?

I didn’t say Doherty avoided tax. Please read it again.

Can you answer my question now David? You seem to have a thing against answering questions from me?

You posted a comment on a thread relating to Pearse Dohertys expenses which began “Wallace was also avoiding tax….”, inferring that Doherty was avoiding tax.

Prove me wrong. If “Wallace was also avoiding tax”, who was also ‘avoiding tax’ besides wallace?

No David, not directly but you inferred it.

Ya thought as much, yet again David Higgins has legged it when I have asked him a simple question.

Diarmaid, i see the coward still managed to give you red thumbs down, but did not have the courage to respond to the question…. haa haaa … Must be a FFg thing not to be able to answer direct questions, unless posted for hours in advance, and a host of ‘special high paid spin doctors’ to provide the least damaging, most deflective answers ever.

The “also” refers to Doherty’s intention to keep people off the dole.

Calling David Higgins, attention please, can you please answer simple question to prove you’re not a question dodging spoofer!

lol pull the other one David. In that case you could have just said Wallace was also trying to keep people off the dole.
You’ll go a long way in the party ;)

I think it’s kind of clear what David Higgins meant even if his grammar was a bit wobbly. I don’t think people who use “infer” when they mean “imply” can rake him over hot coals for that!

Ultimately the point of comparison is that both Doherty and Wallace effectively defrauded money from the state – one through tax fraud and the other through expenses fraud. Both have claimed “keeping/taking people off the dole queue” as some sort of moral justification for it. Neither is particularly convincing.

No, it wasn’t clear.

“Wallace was also avoiding tax to try and keep people off the dole. ”

What is the word “also” supposed to be referring to in his first sentence? We are not mind-readers. As written, he is saying that Wallace ALSO avoided tax. It can only be read as suggesting that Doherty was avoiding tax.

David, you made a false accusation against a member of sinn fein, not for the first time either, and you were called. Part of growing up is accepting that people aren’t as stupid as you think they are. Learn from the experience and one day you might blossom into a fine young man.

@Cal What is FFg?

Read the fecking article you eejit.

He is registered as a an employer with the Revenue Commission.

Therefore of course it was declared.

It doesn’t necessarily follow. Lots of employers who have some staff working off the books are registered with the Revenue Commission.

However, I do agree that he *likely* did declare this.

Put it back into the exchequer?

Why so Phil Hogan can use it to pay for his €10,000 trip to Rio and stay in a luxury hotel?

I’d rather it was used to take two people off the dole.

mcbab, if you take issue with how Doherty is using his salary, don’t vote Sinn Fein. However, what the bloke does with his salary once he’s earned it is really none of your business so hard cheese.

Probably in the opposite direction to the money fine gael has stolen from the taxpayer and poured into the banks.

@Gagsy 99. Ah, the famous Northern Bank robbery. The dogs in the street know it was carried out by elements of MI5/MI6. The same people behind the Dublin and Monaghan bombings.

Begod you’re probably right Con – I never thought of that!

The Journal seems to have omitted the piece where Doherty says they are part-time staff.

Does raise issues about the whole expenses thing though. These expenses are automatic and unvouched. So you have to actually return them. On a salary of €90k no one should be claiming expenses.

Timing is cynical though of course. The assault from the right wing media has begun on SF/ULA. Hope we can withstand it and both need to be whiter than white.

Agreed, SF have, as a party, a sort of historical moral authority which exempts them from any scrutiny.
Personally, I believe they should stop this investigation into questionable misuse of public funds and go straight to the canonization

This and the previous ink gate show a ‘ambiguous’ attitude by Sinn Fein reps to expenses rules. If it was another party, say Fine Gael, there would be uproar and rightly so. It’s perfectly legitimate to ask questions about this. Is it not up to those receiving public monies to inform themselves of the correct procedures for its use?

Donnacha, the real scandal of inkgate is how much the state are paying for printer consumables, a hangover of the celtic tiger years that still has not been addressed.

@Too

Well, other deputies managed not to spend the sun, moon, and stars on ink, so why did Chief Wiggum?

Because he was a thick. He printed large volumes of output on the wrong type of printer for the job. He could have used a professional printer for a fraction of the cost. Of course it should cost ALL TDs a fraction of the cost that it presently does due to the ridiculous price that the consumables are being requisitioned at.

Hmmm… If it was his own money I bet he’d have copped on how ‘thick’ it was. Just a hunch, mind.

Very noble of you Pearse to use funds for this manner…shame its not your money, but Irish taxpayers. The very people you pretend to care so much about. Ahhhh yes, Sinn Fein (Ourselves) our great nations modern day heroes, ironic really, as that’s all they care about. People in glass houses…

This is hardly a coup on behalf of The Independent. This information has been available on Pearse Doherty’s website for months. He has always been totally transparent about this. He has also said he will repay the amounts. I don’t think he should have to as it was done openly and in full view. At least he didn’t use the funds to employ his wife or other family members as is the case with the other main parties. nnThe establishment and the parties they fund will stop at nothing to muddy Sinn Féin. Good to see they are worried. There is a new party in town and FiannaGaeLabour are not invited!

@Donncha: …
“If it was another party, say Fine Gael” ….
Christ get real, FF/FFg had the lowest amount of returned expenses for the last 12 months.
FF (corrupt gits) returned 0.5%
FFg returned 2.5% of all their expenses.

My data source was an article on Journal.ie from 2 weeks ago.
So even with the likes of Pearse Doherty hiring people using TD expenses, SF still maaged to return almost 4% of all the expenses. It really does go to show how sickeningly corrupt and greedy FF/FFg are.
I can guarantee you there will be no stories in the Indo or Journal abour anyone from FF/FFg using any of their expense money to create jobs.

The great irony of if he was a FF’er who spent it on drink for his local cumann, or a FG’er who claimed expenses for when he was out of the country, not a word would be said. In fact that is normal. Give 2 people part time jobs, while taking 60k for yourself, compared to the old stale parties and it is a taboo.

I meant to say 60k less for yourself. lol

a genuine mistake and a understanding that a repayment will be made if he is found in breach of an wrong doing.Pearse Doherty would be the most credible of our politicans and did publish details of accounts i suspect nobody would have been the wiser if he had not. SF obviously have to be 100% transparent in all party dealings and rightly so.If i was offerd a part time job by anyone that took a reduction in there own wages to support the financing of my family livelyhood ect i would commend the man..but as per usual the smallest of problems become large and the largest seem to be forgotten ..just like how were all really happy been on the dole getting poorer whilst the 10% rich have a torrid time getting richer..maybe we could get a link up of who has the highest expenditure in the Dail and look at the bigger picture here..

….the thing is, its NOT HIS MONEY. If it was his own personal expenses that he had claimed, I would take my hat off to him, but it wasn’t. It’s taxpayers money. He is taking money from the taxpayer. He is no different to Mick Wallace, Micheal Lowry or Liam Lawlor. All defrauders of the State in some shape or form

obviously if he breached the rules he will pay back the 8000 ..but been a fraudster you would try and hide your accounts not publish them for all to see..Liam Lawlor Mick Wallace are fraudsters but the comparison is bit exaggerated ..

Brendan, please stop telling the truth … FFg/Labour/FF guys don’t want to hear it.
I personally think the headline should read … Dail TD creates 2 part-time jobs for non-relative, non-Party unemployed. Never before has this happened in Dail Eireann, and based on FFg/Labour/FF TDs reactions, it wont be allowed to happen again.
FFg/FF/Labour TDs are really most annoyed about this, because Doherty is after exposing what is wrong with the unvouched Dail expense farce. He has risked public outrage that TDs are getting so much money for coming to work. Doherty is risking their gravy train of unexplained expenses (ie tax free money in their packets for doing nothing).
Shame on them, they are financial terrorists.

There is no disguising the fact that he has defrauded the State by ?8k. Granted its a relatively low amount, but regardless he has used state funds that were not his for another purpose. Fact! I will therefore repeat that he is no better than Lawlor, Lowry or Wallace. The money was not his, but Irish taxpayers. The headline should read. “Doherty defrauds the state by failing to hand back monies owed”

Jeez, sensationalise much toorkeel? Love the faux outrage by the way. Did you miss the part here doherty said he was unawware of the rule change and will pay back the full amount if he has acted contrary to those new rules on the matter?

Yes the timing is very obvious. However, SF should not let themselves be exposed to this kind of thing.

Not really sensational TrueLeft, its a fact. It’s in black and white. You can read about it all tissue paper. Mr Doherty is a very intelligent man. I find it hard to believe he wasn’t aware of the rule change. I would assume all members would have received written confirmation. The thing is TrueLeft, its a bit like with Wallace, you never want to admit that they were wrong. However “noble” Mr Dohertys intentions were, he was still wrong

Ok Rev..any reasonable people might think that if he knew he was defrauding the tax payer of 8000 he just woud’nt bother who would its a pityfull amount in the scheme of the GREED that LOWRY & LAWLOR stuck in there back pocket and you know what did the mighty fraudster Doherty did with all the stolen taxpayers money no he didnt stick it in an offshore account or add an indoor swimming pool to his newly built mansion ..he gave 2 people part time work ..whats happening here alot of smoke and no fire..does anyone remember Bertie crying on tv and i bet the reverend toorkeel forgave him … you did didnt you

Eh, toorkeel, I actually DID ‘admit’ what wallace did was wrong, so please get your facts straight or stop misrepresenting me, whichever one you’re guilty of.

Unless Doherty used the travel expenses to hire extra staff to give him a piggy back to work then what he’s done is wrong and he ought to give the money back.

sure he should and if found in breach will payback the 8000 but to say he is a willing fraudster and is on the same par as lowry & lawlor is just over exaggerating and that is the only point i am making..

@Brend. Whether he did unwittingly or otherwise, he still defrauded the State. Anyone who defrauds the State is a fraudster, just like Lowry, Lawlor and of course Wallace whom I notice you didnt mention, I wonder why….€2.1m in his case, not exactly small change now is it? I never doubted Mr Dohertys intentions, as I said in earlier posts, if the money came from his own pocket, then what he did or was doing was admirable.But it didnt come from his own pocket, it came from the taxpayers purse. I do remember Bertie crying, I laughed! Personally, I cannot understand why Bertie hasn’t been investigated. Its wrong he hasn’t and inexcusable. That goes for any politician left/right/green/blue/red or whatever who has committed a criminal act and has yet to come before the courts
@TrueLeft. I distinctly remember asking you to give me a yes/no answer as to whether Wallace was right or wrong. You wouldnt/couldnt answer and danced around spouting about bondholders, banks etc. Thats yesterdays news so I’m happy to let bygones be bygones.

era storm in a teacup & tomorrow is another day & another debate ..mick wallace acted the bollix & is a fraudster i said that already..away for the grub

@Brend. Agreed, enjoy your well earned nibbles. See you at the next “great” debate….;)

Ah, so you’re misrepresenting me toorkeel, pretty low.

In the likely event anybody is interested and wants to read how toorkeel is purposely misrepresenting me, heres the thread in question.

Toorkeel is claiming in this thread that he “distinctly remember asking you to give me a yes/no answer as to whether Wallace was right or wrong. You wouldnt/couldnt answer and danced around spouting about bondholders, banks etc.”

Here’s what he actually asked:

http://www.thejournal.ie/technical-group-colleagues-condemn-wallace-but-wont-call-on-him-to-resign-478230-Jun2012/

“should Mr Wallace resign his position and no longer represent the people of Wexford in Dail Eireann for doing deliberately defrauding the state? No waffle, a Yes/No answer”

Oh, and I didn’t mention banks or bondholders.

Guys, I recommend reading toorkeels contributions in the thread in question so you can gauge for yourself, given his accusations in this thread, the blokes integrity.

Should read ‘unlikely’, but I think you get the drift…

@TrueLeft. I think its time you went to bed honestly, you are making an eejit of yourself now and Im getting cringing here for you. You didnt answer my post about Wallace two weeks ago. You danced….and danced…..and danced around it. Again tonight, you fail to see the error of peoples ways who have defrauded the State…….this debate is now yesterdays news…nighty night night

@toorkeel you are completely wrong. @Too Trueleft did not waffle on about banks and bond holders. He waffled on about eating his dinner. And he didn’t answer your question with a yes or no.

What qualifies a SFbot Donal? Do you think I’m one?

I don’t know Rommel. I do know that you are obsessed with Enda though. So maybe you are a closet blueshirt dying to come out?

In all seriousness though, do you think this behaviour from SF is acceptable?

Obsessed with Enda lol. Is such a thing possible? He’s more to be pitied than ridiculed at this stage as a leader.
I came out with a blueshirt preference last time round so I’m well out of that closet, never to return to it I might add.
Is it acceptable? I think it may be technically outside the rules but as Doherty has said himself if it is then he will put it right and I think that’s fair enough.
It’s hardly in the Galway tent or Bilderberg category to be fair.

I don’t agree with this, and agree it is not defensible.

However, I also resent the SFbot comment. On other threads if you are seen to support/defend any of the SF ideas, even the ones that make sense, you get this slew of idiotic comments about Shinnerbots and SFbots.

Do any of you actually think for yourselves or is it just a kneejerk reaction?

That added to the remainder of his wage

Both are wrong. The expenses systems should be changed – no more expenses.

Wasn’t necessarily defending what was done, more just pointing to the hypocrisy about the hysteria. Gilmore lines his own pocket with 21k extra , Shinners spend 8k to give a few party activists a bit of part time work. Hardly the biggest scoundrels in the Dail in my opinion

Fair play, and that is a good point. I think there’s some proverb about removing planks from your eye before complaining about the mote in your neighbours eye.

I just wish there was one party in there that we could trust.

Just to clarify Paddy, they aren’t members of Sinn Fein.

I think you’ll find that FG & Labour td’s mysteriously always seem to use up their entire quota personally every month.

Nothing like a bit of good old Irish whataboutery to deflect the blame.
Sure I’m corrupt but what about that guy he is even more corrupt therefore I’m grand.

says the staunch FF/FG/L man

Says a man who charged the state €3250 for a web hosting package, something I could set up for €20, pipe down there Stephen I reckon!

Hmmm, sinn fein TD using expenses to take an ordinary person off the dole queue Versus Fianna Fail TD using expenses to pay a member of fianna fail thousands to host and maintain a mickey mouse website.

Glass houses stephen.

You FF drones are always so predictable. Bit rich of you, especially, to take a dig at SF for misuse of state funding.

Stephen Kearon is the director of Wicklow Port, provides the state with a web hosting service, is a Peace Commissioner, and the head of Fianna Fáil Wicklow.

Do I smell gombeenism? Yes I think I do. Fianna Fáil – always feathering our own nests.

A peace commissioner? LOL

Stephen
Double standards there me thinks . Did you not get paid ( very well) to do a job for FF ? Were they not providing you with a (very good) living ?

Stephen. Is not Oltech’s site, who you work for in their IT dept using Blacknight hosting, which off the top of my head is 13 euro’s a month in hosting. They provide a wonderful service as well you know.

@ Stephen.. Get a grip will ye?! The truth will be revealed ???

Stpehen, the truth is already posted on his web-site, has been for months… It only got published in the Indo today, because SF are proposing the Bill to repeal the household charge tonight. Usual cynical politics from FFg/FF/Labour, to defelect attention away from the fact that the 3 parties ratified the fiscal treaty, which means we have to hand over 1.17 billion euro to Spain/Italy in the next couple of weeks to bail out their banks.
Also FF/FFg/Labour are handing over another 1,100,000,000.00 euro next week to more unsecured bondholders in Anglo.
FF will never change their spots… Change their leaders OK, but never the way they do business. Sickening.

€13 a month? Oops. I thought it was €271, my bad! ;)

Cat got your tongue, Stephen?

Well Stephen, I have to say you’re right this time. SF breaking the law? How unusual! Yes, it’s unusual especially in the Republic where breaking the law and stealing money from Irish taxpayers is usually considered to be the preserve of Fianna Failures.

Now now Stephen, have you no shame? You’re not really in a position to lecture about wasting public funds are you? How much did you charge a Govt Dept for a €25 piece of equipment? €3,250 was it?! You were also paid a fortune as an advisor to the Government which decimated and destroyed this country. You’re in no position to comment on this story.

Was it decided that o’snodaigh should cover the costs of the grossly overpriced ink he used to print constituency leaflets?

I live in his constituency. I never got any leaflets. Nor did any of my relatives or friends living in his constituency, that i have asked, or at least none can recall receiving any.

Strange that, because on the day of the controversy some of his constituents were interviewed and said there was no need for o’snodaigh to be sending out leaflets as often as he does.

Do you and your relatives have letterboxes?

i certainly have a letterbox. Offhand I would be lying if I gave a definitive yes or no regarding the others mentioned in my post. I can check and report back. A question for you Too Trueleft, how grossly overpriced was said toner? I appologise if this info is already public knowledge, but as you made the statement I’m sure you have that at hand. If it was as you say grossly overpriced it does not say a lot for the National Procurement Service to allow such a supplier on a Framework, considering that their motto is “Delivering Value for Money in Public Procurement”.

I think the scandal is that he is using money that is supposed to be for travelling expenses to enable him to represent all the people in his constituency for paying wages to people to promote Sinn Fein. Unused monies are supposed to be handed back to the exchequer. In a sense he is using non political funds for political purposes. the fact that TDs are overpaid and their expenses are too large is irrelevant in this matter, as is the Wallacesque claim of creating employment. way he has done is wrong.