Some councils to publish expenses on websites

DUBLIN CITY Council and a growing number of local authorities across the State are preparing to publish the expense details of their members on their websites, as soon as this month.

Yesterday Fingal County Council became the latest council to say it intended to publish members’ expense claims on its website.

A spokeswoman said it was the intention to publish all expenses in respect of meeting attendance, conferences and any other council-related travel on the council’s website “within the next two to three weeks”.

The moves follow the revelation by Clare County Council that 32 councillors claimed more than €1 million last year in payments and expenses. The figures showed Mayor Tony Mulcahy (FG) received the highest overall amount at €44,104. The figure included a half-year mayoral allowance of €13,500 which is subject to tax.

The figures supplied by Clare County Council showed some councillors were receiving sums in excess of €500 to travel to Dublin for meetings with State agencies, a scenario which is understood to be repeated in councils across the State.

A spokesman for Dublin City Council also said the expense claims of its members would go up on its website from the end of March.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said it had no plans to introduce such a move.

However, future publication of expenses claimed by councils may not be as high as those published by Clare County Council, as Minister for Environment John Gormley has recently limited the expenses payable.

Mr Gormley limited expense levels on city and county councils to €4,700 per member, per year. In this way a council like Clare would find the expenses it may pay limited to €150,400 instead of a figure in excess of €1 million.

The Minister said the new limits must cover conferences, seminars, other meetings or events. The regulations cover 2010 and all subsequent years.

Members of boroughs and certain large town councils that were formerly urban district councils may claim up to €3,000 each.