Expenses scandal - Claims must be seen to be legitimate

JUST because they have been having expenses scandals in Britain does not mean we should have similar scandals in this country.

But neither should such abuses be ignored.

Some of the more notorious abuses involving the former sports minister and ceann comhairle John O’Donoghue were in relation to his expenses in connection with his attendance at race meetings.

Serious questions have been raised about the expenses of the former chief executive of the Irish National Stud, John Clarke, who was responsible for 62% of the travel expenses claims of a business that included 43 full-time and 35 seasonal staff employed by the semi-state commercial company in 2008.

Mr Clarke and the company stallion nominations manager Julie Lynch, with whom Mr Clarke had an affair, generated over 80% of the staff’s expenses in 2008. Their affair, which ended in 2008, was the subject of an investigation which found Mr Clarke had bullied Ms Lynch after the break-up of their relationship.

The expenses claimed by Mr Clarke, Ms Lynch and a company director for attending the Royal Ascot race meeting in 2008 were the largest expenses approved by the Irish National Stud that year. It should be pointed out, however, that the expenses for the party attending Royal Ascot had been the biggest single recurring expense over a nine-year period.

The auditor’s report, which was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, indicated that there was insufficient back-up information in the 2008 expenses claims, because 23% of the claims did not have supporting receipts and 32% did not have a detailed breakdown, other than a credit card slip, as a receipt. The auditors recommended that Mr Clarke and Ms Lynch should each keep a diary so that they could explain their credit card receipts properly.

Some of the listed expenses have raised eyebrows, such as the €1,404 claim for shrubs at Mr Clarke’s company house, the €944.54 paid for a picture that was bought at an auction for a client, the €839.39 spent on drinks at Ascot, the €659 to purchase a television for the house provided for Ms Lynch on the stud grounds, or the €182.54 charged for hotel tips.

The company openly encourages its senior personnel to do business with it. Directors are charged commercial rates for keeping mares at the stud, but it is important that all expenses claimed should not only be legitimate but should be seen to be legitimate.

This should apply to everyone, especially those in positions of trust or influence. They should provide the proper example by being scrupulous in justifying all of their expense claims.

Any expense claim should be clearly vouched, because there should be no suspicion that the Irish National Stud is helping itself to taxpayers’ money.