More than €146,000 owed by Dublin city councillors in overpaid expenses

Current and former Dublin city councillors together owe more than €146,000 to Dublin City Council in overpaid travel expenses, an investigation by the Local Government Auditor has found.

The 2021 audit found councillors for the local authority had been overpaid their annual travel rate by €48.42 every month since January 2018, amounting to €581.10 a year and a total of €2,324.40 for politicians who had served on Dublin City Council since 2018.

A letter this week from council senior executive officer Ruth Dowling to all city councillors acknowledges the overpayment was "entirely the responsibility" of the council and offers an "unreserved apology" to councillors. However, it also says the councillors are required to repay the money.

Councillors can pay a lump sum, have the debt recouped in instalments from their monthly allowance of expenses, or have the debt recouped from their “gratuity payment” which is made to councillors when they turn 50 years of age.

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“It should be noted that if you wish to stand for re-election in 2024 all outstanding debts with Dublin City Council must be settled in full prior to your nomination,” the letter states.

Misinterpretation

The error arose as a result of a misinterpretation of instructions circulated to all local authorities by the Department of Housing and Local Government when new travel expenses rates were introduced in 2018.

The department has been asked by The Irish Times to clarify if similar errors were made by other local authorities following the issuing of this circular, but has yet to respond to queries.

Independent Dublin city councillor Mannix Flynn said it was unacceptable the overpayment had continued for so many years.

“Councillors were very taken aback to receive these letters, and are very concerned that it might appear that they were putting in for expenses they weren’t entitled to. And while that is absolutely not the case, it could still be very damaging for people,” he said.

He added that many councillors would have difficulty making the repayments.

“We all have no choice but to pay back this money, but it puts people in a poverty situation, all because of someone else’s mistake.”

In a statement, the council said the error was “entirely the responsibility of the executive of Dublin City Council. The councillors were totally unaware of the overpayment until they were notified on Tuesday evening.”

It said it would not only be pursuing current councillors for the sums owed but would seek to recoup money from former councillors who were paid expenses rates from 2018 but had since lost or resigned their seats.