REVEALED: Limerick councillors claim over €1.1m for 2018 with €30,000 on travel

COUNCILLORS across Limerick claimed more than €1.1m in expenses throughout 2018, new figures have revealed.

Data obtained by the Limerick Leader show the city and county’s 40 local representatives received on average €27,527 each –a total of €1,101,090.42.

Of this, €27,521 was spent on​ overseas travel, the figures from City and County Council show, with a massive €75,325 going on training expenses – a scheme which does not have an upper limit on spend.  

Conference fees also topped €5,322, and a new allowance for mobile telephone and wi-fi usage saw councillors claim over €10,000.​

This comes on top of their annual salary of €16,867, plus fees for being chairs of strategic policy committees and expenses for travelling to and from meetings. There is an additional allowance associated with being the Mayor of the council, a year-long role.

Figures taken from the last calendar year show the highest claiming councillor in the county area was Adare-Rathkeale Fine Gael councillor Stephen Keary, pictured, who sought €44,918.64 from the public purse, followed by Patrickswell councillor Sean Lynch of Fianna Fail, who claimed a total of €41,475.86.

These two men held the high-profile portfolios of Mayor of Limerick and the metropolitan district mayor for the first six months of last year, which accounts for the higher amounts.

Just behind them is the current Mayor, Cllr James Collins, whose claims up to New Year’s Eve last totalled €41,212.83, and included trips to New York City, China, Barcelona and Paris.

The mayor, pictured, has been in contact with the Limerick Leader to say that although his trips to the latter two destinations were approved by members, he did not in fact take these trips, nor claim expenses for them.

In total, the mayor has claimed €5,555 on overseas visits, with his predecessor, Cllr Keary claiming €6,519 in his final six months in office. Mayor Collins’s term still has six months to run.

Among the top foreign travel claimants in Limerick was Fianna Fail Cappamore-Kilmallock councillor Mike Donegan, who sought €1,979.61, a figure which included a trip to the Venice Biennale.

He claimed €1,650 for visiting the foremost architectural exhibition in the world in Italy, which this year featured a representation of Kilmallock.

Cllr Sean Lynch, pictured, claimed a total of €2,650.13,​ a figure which takes into account a four-day trip he made to Queen’s County in New York just before St Patrick’s Day last.

Cllr Keary claimed €1,500 to visit New York and New Brunswick between June 12 and 15, while he also paid a visit to the British capital, London, to represent Limerick when the footballers played last year. 

This trip cost €600 in total, the figures show.

Unlike conference fees – which are capped at €700 – there is no upper limit on foreign travel expenses.

However, all overseas trips must be approved by full council.

There is also no cap on what members can claim on training expenses, with Cllr Lynch the top claimant here, seeking €7,027, followed by Cllr Seamus Browne with €6,753 and veteran member Michael Hourigan seeking €6,521.

Councillors have once again been travelling the country to visit conferences, claiming a total of €5,322 in the process.

Former mayor Liam Galvin attended a conference in Carlingford, Co Louth, on housing and homelessness last November for two days, while Cllr Adam Teskey journeyed to Donegal for a seminar on the local electoral boundary commission.

Cllr Donegan travelled to Clonakilty, Co Cork just before Christmas for a conference focusing on one’s entitlement to health services.

Members are able to claim €25 per month for broadband access, and up to €600 per year on telephone calls.

While many councillors have opted against claiming this, a number have claimed both allowances, including Independent member Frankie Daly who sought €687.​

The top claimant for the internet was Sinn Fein councillor Seamus Browne, who sought €675.00 on ‘wi-fi’ allowance.

While it appears in these cases, their spend exceeded the cap, a spokesperson for the local authority said this is possibly because they have opted to claim a longer period of expense claims in one lump sum.

The lowest claimants who served the whole of 2018 were Sinn Fein councillors Malachy McCreesh (€22,168.58), and John Costelloe (€22,133.58).

Former solidarity councillor Cian Prendiville, who quit politics in October last, claimed €18,944.40, while his replacement, Cllr Mary Cahillane has claimed €441.77 so far.

Expenses claimed by city and county councillors in 2018

Top overall claimants

Cllr Stephen Keary (FG) - ex-mayor € 44,918.64
Cllr Sean Lynch (FG) - ex metro mayor €41,475.86
Mayor James Collins (FF) current mayor €42,212.83
Cllr Daniel Butler (FG) - metro mayor €36,265.17
Cllr Frankie Daly (IND) €34,723.24
Cllr John Sheahan (FG) €34,369.97
Cllr Jerome Scanlan (FG) €33,953.15
Cllr Seamus Browne (SF) € 32,541.79
Cllr Kieran O'Hanlon (FF) €32,250.54
Cllr Marian Hurley (FG) € 31,350.15
Cllr Seighin O Cellaigh (SF) € 31,001.15
Cllr Michael Collins (FF) €30,566.51
Cllr Michael Hourigan (FG) € 29,950.15
Cllr Adam Teskey (FG) €29,692.90
Cllr Richard O'Donoghue (IND) €29,605.71
Cllr Mike Donegan (FF) €29,531.80
Cllr William O'Donnell (FG) € 28.922.90
Cllr Vivienne Crowley (FF) €28,350.10
Cllr Joe Leddin (Lab) €28,193.65
Cllr Michael Sheahan (FG) €28,184.79
Cllr Liam Galvin (FG) €27,834.80
Cllr Brigid Teefy (IND) € 27,333.78
Cllr Eddie Ryan (FF) €26,873.65
Cllr Francis Foley (FF) € 26,180.07
Cllr Gerald Mitchell (FG) € 26,166.96
Cllr John Gilligan (IND) €25,248.63
Cllr Lisa-Marie Sheehy (IND) € 25,191.90
Cllr Ciara McMahon (SF) €24,281.26
Cllr Paul Keller (Solidarity) € 22,769.08
Cllr Noel Gleeson (FF) €24,544.05
Cllr Kevin Sheahan (FF) € 23,149.20
Cllr Joe Pond (FF) €23,035.98
Cllr Elena Secas (LAB) €22,661.46
Cllr John Loftus (IND) €22,604.51
Cllr Elenora Hogan (FG) € 22,599.47
Cllr Jerry O'Dea (FF) €22,553.35
Cllr Emmett O'Brien (IND) € 22,312.94
Cllr Malachy McCreesh (SF) €22,168.58
Cllr John Costellloe (SF) €22,133.58
Cian Prendiville (Sol) - resigned seat on October 18 €18,944.40
Cllr Mary Cahillane (Sol) - co-opted on to council from Nov 18 €441.77

Top foreign travel claimants

Cllr Stephen Keary (FG) - ex-mayor € 6,519.79
Mayor James Collins (FF) €5,555.51
Cllr John Sheahan (FG) €3,220.04
Cllr Richard O'Donoghue (IND) € 2,677.61
Cllr Sean Lynch (FF) €2,650.13
Cllr Michael Donegan (FF) € 1,979.61
Cllr Francis Foley (FF) €627.74
Cllr Michael Collins (FF) €615.20
Cllr Brigid Teefy (IND) €604.18
Cllr Kieran O'Hanlon (FF) € 575.78
Cllr Adam Teskey (FG) €529.31
Cllr Kevin Sheahan (FF) €509.23
Cllr Vivienne Crowley (FF) € 485.94
Cllr John Loftus (IND) €485.94
Cllr Lisa-Marie Sheehy (IND) €485.94
*All other councillors did not claim for foreign travel in 2018 / or have not yet done so

Top conference claimants

Cllr Sean Lynch (FF) €659.97
Cllr Michael Hourigan (FG) € 619.60
Cllr Daniel Butler (FG) €560.96
Cllr Frankie Daly (IND) €554.99
Cllr Adam Teskey (FG) €554.58
Cllr Michael Sheahan (FG) €550.21
Cllr Joe Leddin (LAB) €543.37
Cllr John Gilligan (IND) € 521.31
Cllr Jerry O'Dea (FF) €467.44
Cllr Seighin O Ceallaigh (SF) €134.04
Cllr Lisa-Marie Sheehy (IND) €88.13
Cllr Marian Hurley (FG) €67.89
* All other councillors did not claim for conferences in 2018 / or have not yet done so

Top training claimants

Cllr Sean Lynch (FF) €7,027.96
Cllr Seamus Browne (SF) €6,753.62
Cllr Michael Hourigan (FG) €6,521.98
Cllr Kieran O'Hanlon (FF) €6,476.42
Cllr Frankie Daly (IND) €5,482.22
Cllr Joe Leddin (Lab) €5,296.08
Cllr Michael Sheahan (FG) €4,814.75
Cllr Seighin O Ceallaigh (SF) €4,548.85
Cllr Daniel Butler (FG) €4,269.21
Cllr Brigid Teefy (IND) €4,014.35
Cllr Mike Donegan (FF) €3,681.43
Cllr Jerome Scanlan (FG) €3,115.94
Cllr John Sheahan (FG) €2,994.02
Cllr Liam Galvin (FG) €2,627.19
Cllr John Gilligan (IND) €2,593.74
Cllr Noel Gleeson (FF) €1,683.61
Cllr Francis Foley (FF) €862.96
Cllr Joe Pond (FF) €477.40
Cllr Elena Secas (Lab) €471.15
Cllr Vivienne Crowley (FF) €452.64
Cllr Emmett O'Brien (IND) €352.65
Cllr Lisa-Marie Sheehy (IND) €340.09
Cllr Jerry O'Dea (FF) €327.80
Cllr William O'Donnell(FG) €139.64
*All other councillors did not claim training expenses in 2018 / or have yet to claim