Politician Expenses

Irish Times

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Sinn Fein has defended as fair, open and transparent its claiming of nearly £500,000 in London accommodation allowances for its abstentionist Westminster MPs.

It was reported at the weekend by the Sunday Telegraph that party president Gerry Adams and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness paid £3,600 per month for a property owned by an Irish landlord living in London.

It also reported that Pat Doherty, Michelle Gildernew and Conor Murphy between them paid £5,400 per month for a north London town house.

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Not sure how can claim expenses when don't sit in the House of Commons :confused:

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Originally Posted by pete

Irish Times

Not sure how can claim expenses when don't sit in the House of Commons :confused:

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Irish repubulican party in 'trying to bleed british treasury shock' to further irish unity all within rules of westminster as reported by the tory party house mazazine so beloved of retired army majors and generally those hark back to the days when a quarter of the globe was pink and johnny foreigner knew their place

slow news day ?

I've no time whatsoever for Sinn Fein and even I think this is a nothing story.

Just because they don't attend the house (or the pertinent chamber thereof at least) doesn't disallow them from availing of all the ancilliary facilities for MPs that are there. I'd go so far as to say it'd be pretty stupid of them not to.

...yawn

Would it be ok if they did it over here though lads, or is it just cos they're claiming them from the British?

How about when Irish politicians steal from taxpayers, is that ok?

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Originally Posted by dahamsta

Would it be ok if they did it over here though lads, or is it just cos they're claiming them from the British?

How about when Irish politicians steal from taxpayers, is that ok?

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I'm not condoning that carry on at all dahamsta. It's an abuse and it should be stopped. I get dail franked Christmas cards from Willy O'Dea ...despite the fact I've never voted for hil or any other FF candidate in my life -and even if I had or was an activist for him it'd still be a scandalous waste of resources.

If Sinn Fein still operated a policy of not taking up seats in the Dail and had sufficent support to get TDs elected I'd consider them within their rights to use office facilities etc at Leinster house and claim travel/accomodation allowances for doing so. ...Which probably means they'd be abusing the scandalous amounts on dail envelopes and franking facilities that some others do as well.

Do Irish politicians don't have itemised expenses? Without itemisation any Freedom of Information request isn't going to provide much details.

Our politicians have unvouched expenses. Can't see that changing anytime soon after the carry on in the UK.

As for the link, whilst I would agree to some extent, any sitting TD/ Senator/ Party unilaterally taking a decision to not use Dail envelopes would just be fighting an uneven battle. Getting hung up on that, whilst Ministers get whole offices of civil servants to do their consituency work and put their mug on every publication their department is a bit pedantry imo.

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Originally Posted by Macy

As for the link, whilst I would agree to some extent, any sitting TD/ Senator/ Party unilaterally taking a decision to not use Dail envelopes would just be fighting an uneven battle.

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You could say the same about the ridiculous wages they pay themselves, or even the ridiculously small amount of time most of them spend in the Dáil. Not one of them* has the balls, self-respect or honour to take a stand, which I guess is my point.

I'm lost to be honest. Who can I vote for in this election? I won't be voting for FF, because they put us where we are today; I won't be voting for the Greens, because they don't honour their promises; I won't vote for Sinn Fein, because they're populists without credible policies; I won't vote for Fine Gael, because they're Fianna Fail by another name; and the party I'm actually a member of gets up to the kind of antics mentioned above, and don't even respond to my emailed complaint. Independents? Sure they're all probably Fianna Fail anyway.

Think I'll write my own name onto the ballot card, stick a tick beside it. I think I can trust myself.

adam

* Joe Higgins being the possible exception, but not any more of course.

Vote for Libertas. They don't stand for any of that, their poster says so.

Not entirely sure what they do stand for, but let's be honest, when have policies actually mattered in Irish politics? (trying to maximize how many pork barrels you can finagle for your constituency is about as meaningful a policy as most have).

I'm either not going to vote or will spoil mine. For the first time since I turned 18 I have no leanings whatsoever.

When we got married in 2005 the receipt for the deposit paid to the band came in an Oireachtas envelope! They refused to allow barcoding of the envelopes that would make such abuse easily traceable. (link: http://www.independent.ie/national-n...s-1696830.html)

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Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

Vote for Libertas. They don't stand for any of that, their poster says so.

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Libertas not being included in my list was purely a subconcious decision, which demonstrates how highly they register with me!

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I'm either not going to vote or will spoil mine. For the first time since I turned 18 I have no leanings whatsoever.

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I feel exactly the same way. Despite knowing that not voting is a really bad idea, I'm actually at a loss what to do.

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Originally Posted by dahamsta

I feel exactly the same way. Despite knowing that not voting is a really bad idea, I'm actually at a loss what to do.

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All political choices eventually come down to this. Sometimes it is very apt.

I don't think the SF MPs are under any obligation to follow the rules if they're barred from voting on them.

Also, Joe Higgins is still on the go.

They aren't barred, they just won't because it would involve an oath of allegiance to the Queen.

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Originally Posted by Mr A

They aren't barred, they just won't because it would involve an oath of allegiance to the Queen.

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Same difference, there's no such thing as democracy only for people who agree with certain things.

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Originally Posted by dahamsta

I feel exactly the same way. Despite knowing that not voting is a really bad idea, I'm actually at a loss what to do.

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Isn't this exactly what the Government parties want? Just vote ABFF, just to get as many of the untsc out and force a general election.

Whilst I've no doubt it you wouldn't be swayed by what they say, it's clear the latest (and possible last) tactic of FF/ Greens is to try and lump all politicians as being the same, so they can at least minimise turnout.

Voting ABFF is my defacto standard Macy. However while the Government parties might want apathy on our part, they're not responsible for it. The Opposition are.

I'm going to have to do some actual work this time, to figure out least worst. I'll start with the European candidates for South, minus FF and Green.

Complete pain in the arse.