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08/10/2009
O'Donoghue To Get €112,000 Payoff
Despite resigning in a blaze of controversy, Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue is to claim €112,500 after being forced out of his position.
The ousted Speaker of the Dail will be eligible for a salary of €100,000 for serving as a backbench TD and will also be able to claim an annual ministerial pension of around €25,000. This pension will then rise to €67,000 when he retires from the Dail.
Anger is growing amongst the Daíl members over Mr O'Donoghue's expected 'golden-handshake', which has followed expenses in the realm of €250,000 being claimed by the member, claiming back €1 charitable donations from the tax payer, previous refusals to apologise or resign before u-turns on both, and now delays in stepping down to ensure pension, pay and Daíl seat entitlements.
However, the anger among O'Donoghue's Daíl colleagues is now turning to concern as leader of the Green party John Gormley admitted yesterday that the O'Donoghue scandal may have "opened up a can of worms".
"If you were to do a trawl of all ministers, admittedly John O'Donoghue is probably in a league of his own, but you will find anomalies and you will find excesses," he said.
But a further embarrassment the Daíl awaits in the form of a new disclosure from the former officer in charge of overseeing expenses and allowances for TDs, who resigned the position during the summer over the refusal of the members to accept reform over the regime.
Tom O'Higgins, the chairman of the audit committee of the commission, said he felt obliged to step down due to the failure of an adequate vouching scheme to be accepted by the house.
As far back as May, Mr O'Higgins warned that if a transparent system of vouched expenses for TDs and senators was not introduced by the end of September he would step down, and did so last Tuesday.
(DW/GK)
The ousted Speaker of the Dail will be eligible for a salary of €100,000 for serving as a backbench TD and will also be able to claim an annual ministerial pension of around €25,000. This pension will then rise to €67,000 when he retires from the Dail.
Anger is growing amongst the Daíl members over Mr O'Donoghue's expected 'golden-handshake', which has followed expenses in the realm of €250,000 being claimed by the member, claiming back €1 charitable donations from the tax payer, previous refusals to apologise or resign before u-turns on both, and now delays in stepping down to ensure pension, pay and Daíl seat entitlements.
However, the anger among O'Donoghue's Daíl colleagues is now turning to concern as leader of the Green party John Gormley admitted yesterday that the O'Donoghue scandal may have "opened up a can of worms".
"If you were to do a trawl of all ministers, admittedly John O'Donoghue is probably in a league of his own, but you will find anomalies and you will find excesses," he said.
But a further embarrassment the Daíl awaits in the form of a new disclosure from the former officer in charge of overseeing expenses and allowances for TDs, who resigned the position during the summer over the refusal of the members to accept reform over the regime.
Tom O'Higgins, the chairman of the audit committee of the commission, said he felt obliged to step down due to the failure of an adequate vouching scheme to be accepted by the house.
As far back as May, Mr O'Higgins warned that if a transparent system of vouched expenses for TDs and senators was not introduced by the end of September he would step down, and did so last Tuesday.
(DW/GK)
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13 October 2009
O'Donoghue To Address Daíl Over Expenses
The Ceann Comhairle is to address the Daíl today after announcing last week he was to stand down over his expenses controversy. The House will then elect a new speaker, and speculation is following Seamus Kirk, chairman of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party.
O'Donoghue To Address Daíl Over Expenses
The Ceann Comhairle is to address the Daíl today after announcing last week he was to stand down over his expenses controversy. The House will then elect a new speaker, and speculation is following Seamus Kirk, chairman of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party.
07 October 2009
Ceann Comhairle Holds Out For 'Handshake'
The Ceann Comhairle has finally succumbed to pressure over his expenses and resigned, but now faces new criticism over his timing of the move. John O'Donoghue, the Daíl Chariman, has faced a barrage of criticism and pressure in recent weeks over the expenses he claimed while the was Minister for Sport and Tourism with Fianna Fail.
Ceann Comhairle Holds Out For 'Handshake'
The Ceann Comhairle has finally succumbed to pressure over his expenses and resigned, but now faces new criticism over his timing of the move. John O'Donoghue, the Daíl Chariman, has faced a barrage of criticism and pressure in recent weeks over the expenses he claimed while the was Minister for Sport and Tourism with Fianna Fail.
14 October 2009
O'Donoghue Says Resignation Is 'A Wrong'
The outgoing Ceann Comhairle has claimed his departure "was a wrong done to the office". In his resignation speech yesterday, the ousted speaker who has been forced to resign following a series of damning revelations over excessive expenses, said he had been denied "due process" by the threat of a motion of no confidence.
O'Donoghue Says Resignation Is 'A Wrong'
The outgoing Ceann Comhairle has claimed his departure "was a wrong done to the office". In his resignation speech yesterday, the ousted speaker who has been forced to resign following a series of damning revelations over excessive expenses, said he had been denied "due process" by the threat of a motion of no confidence.
16 September 2009
O'Donoghue Breaks Silence Over Expenses
Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue chose yesterday's race meeting in Listowel to break his silence on the controversy surrounding his expenses claims. Mr O'Donoghue expressed "regret" over the expenses he had claimed while Minister for Arts, Sports & Tourism at the race meeting, but stopped short of an unqualified apology.
O'Donoghue Breaks Silence Over Expenses
Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue chose yesterday's race meeting in Listowel to break his silence on the controversy surrounding his expenses claims. Mr O'Donoghue expressed "regret" over the expenses he had claimed while Minister for Arts, Sports & Tourism at the race meeting, but stopped short of an unqualified apology.
14 September 2009
Apology Call Over TD's Expenses
The leader of opposition party Fine Gael has called for a full apology from Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue over his official expenses. Speaking today, Enda Kenny asked for an apology from the Daíl chairman after Mr O'Donoghue published a letter he had sent to all Daíl TDs this morning defending his claims.
Apology Call Over TD's Expenses
The leader of opposition party Fine Gael has called for a full apology from Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue over his official expenses. Speaking today, Enda Kenny asked for an apology from the Daíl chairman after Mr O'Donoghue published a letter he had sent to all Daíl TDs this morning defending his claims.
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