Harney's PD leader's allowance.. shouldn't she give it back?

[Verhofstadt]

Parties get €13.7m in State funding - The Irish Times - Tue, Jun 23, 2009

Mary Harney of the now defunct PDs, received €185, 081 in funding despite the fact that she was replaced as leader of the party by Senator Ciarán Cannon in April 2008. This is because the allowance must be paid to a member of Dáil Éireann.

While I realise she is entitled to the money shouldn't she do the honourable thing and give it back to the taxpayer?

What expenses do the PDs have at this stage and is she getting the same allowance in 2009?

[Baron von Biffo]

Parties get €13.7m in State funding - The Irish Times - Tue, Jun 23, 2009



While I realise she is entitled to the money shouldn't she do the honourable thing and give it back to the taxpayer?

What expenses do the PDs have at this stage and is she getting the same allowance in 2009?

When did Harney ever do the honourable thing? If she had any interest in being honourable she wouldn't have taken the health ministry and rammed through policies that the electorate emphatically rejected.

She's a minister without mandate and a big weeping sore on the body politic.

[Verhofstadt]

When did Harney ever do the honourable thing? If she had any interest in being honourable she wouldn't have taken the health ministry and rammed through policies that the electorate emphatically rejected.

She's a minister without mandate and a big weeping sore on the body politic.

I won't argue with you there, but given the current economic outlook, especially in relation to the exchequer returns it seems contradictory in the extreme for a Progressive Democrat (and a founder member at that) to waste public money in such a transparently incorrect way.

At the very least she should accept a reduction to the level of an indepedent deputy.

[Whatuwant2007]

Yeah but shouldn't Ivana Bacik give her Independent Senator's allowance back also?

[Baron von Biffo]

I won't argue with you there, but given the current economic outlook, especially in relation to the exchequer returns it seems contradictory in the extreme for a Progressive Democrat (and a founder member at that) to waste public money in such a transparently incorrect way.

At the very least she should accept a reduction to the level of an indepedent deputy.

The PDs were all about grabbing public resources for the benefit of their wealthy cronies - just look at the whole co-location scam. It doesn't surprise me in the least that they would continue to loot the public purse.

You're absolutely right she should only get the same as any other independent but don't hold your breath waiting for her to do the right thing.

[Pauli]

Harney? Honourable?

You're having a laugh!!!

[Verhofstadt]

Harney? Honourable?

You're having a laugh!!!

Fair point, well made!

I'm still a little surprised that there is isn't a howl of outrage from the liveliners and Daily Mail readers who get up in arms about this, that and whatever.

I just don't follow how she gets away with it, when you throw the likes of Crumlin hospital into the mix... how is allowed to stay in office?

[Andrew49]

Fair point, well made!

I'm still a little surprised that there is isn't a howl of outrage from the liveliners and Daily Mail readers who get up in arms about this, that and whatever.

I just don't follow how she gets away with it, when you throw the likes of Crumlin hospital into the mix... how she is allowed to stay in office?

Dáil Éireann appears to be irrelevant in all this - they are not providing oversight on this waste of money.

[ellie08]

Parties get €13.7m in State funding - The Irish Times - Tue, Jun 23, 2009



While I realise she is entitled to the money shouldn't she do the honourable thing and give it back to the taxpayer?

What expenses do the PDs have at this stage and is she getting the same allowance in 2009?

Sigh.... there's a lot of things that woman should do.

[EoinMn]

I thought Noel Grealish was caretaker leader of the PDs. Guess not.