Maybe if TD’s or what ever committee of TD’s who draw up the rules and regulations sat down and defined what for and how much expenses can be claimed once and for all we wouldn’t be reading stuff like this? Get rid of the un-vouched expenses, daft allowances etc. If you can not document it you don’t get the expense. It’s laughable that no one seems to know what is allowed and what isn’t. As I said on another thread TD’s & expenses = total farce.

Do you remember the great craic we all had a few years ago when Ivor Callely was caught claiming for travel expenses from the furthest possible point on the island despite living only 5 miles away from the Seanad and then he had to pay back all the money and then he went to court and then got sent to jail? Good times, good times……
Oh wait……..

The House of Oireachtas is only now realising that current expenses system is incredibly flaky, wasn’t this the very same system “reformed” to prevent potential mis-use? They seem to have very short memories up there, wasn’t a certain Senator caught “flipping” permanent addresses only last year? If that wasn’t a warning light, then what on earth would be one?! Dear god help us all.

On the subject of travel expenses how did Ruari Quinn manage to claim for 2,800km of mileage for August 2011 when he was officially on holiday for 22 days of that month?
Mr Quinn claimed for 5,100kms during July, when his official diary also showed less than 1,000km worth of trips.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2106567/Ruairi-Quinn-claims-2-800KM-9-days-work.html#ixzz1zaFLWxFn

Joe & the gang wage war on austerity and want the taxpayer to pay for it. They’re a joke…

Joe is now saying that his public opposition to the Household Charge and his aiding and abetting of breaches of the law by urging others not to pay while being a Public Representative can be described as a Duty within the meaning of the Regulations.nI’m tired of his craw thumping and whinging and moaning and law breaking at my expense and yours.nWhen we find his hand in the till he roars defiance……does it not make you sick to your stomach?

Am aganist the Household, but what this gangasters in the Socialist Party are doing is wrong, they are a disgrace to politics and no different to Brtie.

And who will being for the legal fees? Just sort it out! Cut the expense accounts, and no more unvouched expenses!

I cant believe that the TDs in question think that it covers travelling all around the country. But even if it actually did, is it not a bit of a contradiction? Here we have TDs going around fighting against austerity and measures by the government to try recoup money to balance the books. They claim to represent the working class and complain about the harsh taxes, levies and cuts the people have to suffer. Yet they claim a generous wage, always get generous expenses regardless, and have a lovely pension to retire from and now they are abusing the expenses system by milking it for even more money!

I thought this was just a Sinn Fein tactic, but it seems all these left-thinking parties in the Dail who claim to be elected to fight for the working class are all just out to rob the country blind. The rich, the poor, and the very poor – all paying for these TDs wages, expenses, and pension. They completely contradict their policies.

You don’t get to misuse expenses, no matter how worthy you think your cause is.

These expenses are for covering the cost of getting from your home to the Dail.

That is all they are for.

They are not supposed to be used to promote your own personal political crusades.

Joe is using his expenses paid for by taxpayers money to fund his agenda .socialist? Mefeiner more likely.

Can someone suggest to Enda that getting some form of relief/tax credit etc per kilometer for paye workers for Our expenses incurred for driving to/from work ??

It would make a big difference to disposable income, it might even make a lot of low paid jobs worth doing..

Come on, take your foot off our heads and help the people that are keeping this country afloat please..

Dear JoenWhy do you believe that the State funding of Political Parties according to their size is so unfair that it disadvantages you and your Socialist ragbag and thus allows you to claim Mileage from the taxpayer as you promote lawbreaking by citizens? nYou already get tens of thousands of Euro as a so called Party Leaders Allowance as does Ms Daly and the rest of you sitting up there in your lofty perches.nIs that not enough of my money to fund your special breed of political life.nJoe..give us a break and hand back the expenses.nnn

This is a farce. Joe Higgins and his lackeys in the ULA have abused the expense system and the best argument that I see people using here is that it’s ok because everyone else appears to be doing it. Forgive me if I am wrong but isn’t it exactly this attitude that has us in the mess we find ourselves in. It is obvious that a totally vouched expense system be put in place with the abolition of allowances totally across Government and the Public Service. In my job I claim expenses and I have to provide full receipts and travel plans for them all or they won’t be paid. They are overseen and if I try and claim anything that is not covered by them they are not paid. All expense details should also be published in full so we the people (the employers) can scrutinise exactly what our representatives are up to.

Always wondered why this lot were travelling all over the country, at the time I thought fair play,but now the truth its the likes of me paying for their travel, it should be paid back immediateley.

The Household charge will lead to a property tax most likely based on a valuation system with certain waivers. Those who have the best properties can be, on the whole but not exclusively, considered best placed to contribute most to funding services. This is clearly redistributive and equitable measure. Well funded State services and social protection offer a means to tackle inequality and protect the most vulnerable. (not withstanding the need to monitor these services, identify inadequacy and develop provision accordingly).
Joe Higgins, Clare Daly and the ULA are at best misguided or at worst using the vulnerability,understandable anger and anomie of supporters for their own political gain. Who will suffer in the end….??

What a crock of ……… Talk about manufacturing a distraction from the actual issues. If they are getting legal advice means they are unsure themselves. If it was clear cut why did administrators process these expenses. Surely if they were refused at that point then we wouldn’t be having this nonsense taking up print. Much a do about nothing. Why don’t they just make it all expenses have to be vouched for and thats that. Total rubbish – I cannot believe the broadsheets are running with this – shame on them. So much for an independent media. Makes me ill…….

I’d rather pay his fuel bills than pay the house hold charge, there just trying to take our eyes off the ball!

They are doing what they promised to do pre election which was to fight against Austerity, they re sticking to their pre election promises/commitments at least, pity the same can,t be said about fg/lab-besides think all the leaflets, all the advertising, all the posters, all the travelling and canvassing for the yes vote in the recent referendum would of being used by taxpayers money wheres the media outrage over that? besides its some coincidence this story is the media at the very same time the warning letters have being sent out over the household tax.

This is a politically motivated witch-hunt against people who are unwilling to bend over and take what the IMF/ECB want to dish out. The establishment and their political lapdogs are desperate to stifle all opposition.

At least they didn,t go to Rio

Rare opportunity to bash opposition on here today, You’ll disappear soon enough when the government screw up.. which Paddypower wouldn’t take a bet on…

So fill your books and enjoy it while you can!!!

OK i may get pilloried for this but If on one hand, we bemoan our TD’s being too parochial and not spending enough focus on issues that effect the populace as a whole. But then criticize them for ye know actually travelling outside their constituencies to make representations against a charge that was not supported by vast swathes of the population (or indeed any major piece of legislation) the country will sink into the Atlantic under the combined weight of blacked than pitch Pots & Kettle’s. To misquote Oscar Wilde “Everyone’s a hypocrite nowadays”.

http://www.joehiggins.ie/2012/07/press-statement-response-to-houses-of-the-oireachtas-statement-on-travel-allowance/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Good man keep up the good work

Should there not be a overriding duty to error on the side of caution, by people, when spending taxpayers money, be it to purchase a paper clip or travelling on the business of the country. Surely we have had enough exploitation of Grey Area to last 2 lifetimes , that the current crop should be above reproach and should be seen to be above reproach.

JH fo & die/ So sick of your high moral ground & no solutions, when you are asked about the real solution. Nothing!!!! Please fo to communist ussr with that dirty bird capitalist Clare Daly.

The bankers dip the Irish public for billions and people on here complain about the price of a few train tickets.

Perspective please. Lots of people on here sound like attack dogs for the Sindo. Sad really given the enormity of the situation.

Until such time as the gravy train in Fine Gael and Labour use their position in government to slash TDs wages and expenses, the Socialist Party is perfectly within its right to use whatever funds allocated in the fight against austerity. There is no abuse of the expenses system on the part of Joe and Clare, Paul. If the Oireachtas was unclear on the issue and had to seek legal advice then that is not the fault of the Socialist Party. As the Oireachtas has now made the political decision to reinforce parish pump politics the money will be paid back. Next story – move on folks. The fact is, there are hundreds of thousands of non-payers opposing these bailout taxes. There are tens of thousands of members of the CAHWT campaign up and down the country. They invited Joe and Clare to speak at and launch the campaigns. The statute governing expenses covers “travel expenses which the member is obliged to incur in the performance of his or her duties as a member of Dail Eireann”. Now to establishment parties that may mean shaking hands, kissing babies and cutting ribbons in their own little fiefdoms but to the Socialist Party/ULA it means fighting injustice and austerity across the country. Which is exactly what the CAHWT is. The Irish Independent agenda is nothing more than a concerted diversion and smear campaign against the real opposition to the lunatic government policy, to distract from the real issues – i.e. we are having unjust household and water taxes foisted upon us to pay off the bondholder debt. Maybe they should be more concerned with their tax dodging owners and the vast amounts of tax that these guys should have contributed to the exchequer over the years?