City councillors claim €253,000 in expenses

CITY councillors in Waterford claimed over €250,000 in expenses for the first seven months of last year, figures show.

Fri, 06 Jan, 2006 - 00:00

Neans McSweeney South East Correspondent

Officials are still tabulating full expenses for the year.

But data on payments to councillors for the first seven months show that amounts claimed by councillors ranged from just over €11,400 to €36,000-plus.

The figures come at a time when householders in the city are facing a €20 hike in the flat fee payable for bin collection, as well as a 20 cent increase in the fee for parking per hour.

Ratepayers also face hikes over the coming months.

The data shows Cllr Davy Cullinane claimed the least up to July 31, 2005.

He claimed €11,404.55. Cllr Joe Kelly claimed the second least for expenses, at €11,451.13. Claiming third least was Cllr Jack Walsh, who was entitled to expenses of €11,780.72.

Among the chief claimants were former mayor, Cllr Seamus Ryan, who claimed €36,549. He was mayor at the time.

A breakdown of payments to him show that over that time, he claimed €2,429 for monthly meetings.

He also claimed €368 for special policy committee meetings, €24,318 in allowances for being mayor, €8,683 under representational allowances and just under €750 in conference expenses.

Ranking second-highest for the first seven months of 2005 was Cllr Hilary Quinlan, who is now Mayor, with €19,212.

He claimed €2,429 for monthly meetings, €3,850 in chairman/vice-chairman allowances, €8,683 under representational allowances and €4,250 in conference expenses.

Monthly meetings cost the local authority close to €36,500.

Special policy committee allowances amounted to €14,800, chairman and vice-chairman claims came to €37,220 and representational allowances came to €130,250.

Over the first seven months of last year, the 15 councillors claimed a total of just under €35,000 in conference expenses, amounting to a total of just over €253,000 in expenses for the period.

Expenses claimed up to July 31, 2005:

Cllr Pat Hayes €18,766

Cllr Hilary Quinlan €19,212

Cllr Davy Walsh €14,312

Cllr Davy Daniels €16,980

Cllr Tom Cunningham €18,543

Cllr Mary Roche €18,386

Cllr Seamus Ryan €36,549

Cllr John Halligan €17,275

Cllr Tom Murphy €15,305

Cllr Laurence O’Neill €17,809

Cllr Mary O’Halloran €12,069