Kenny warned over councillors' expense claims
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny must order all his party councillors not to claim expenses from the public purse for their trip to a media-training course, it was claimed today.
As the opposition party’s conference began in Athlone, Minister for Justice Michael McDowell insisted local government funds should never be siphoned off for party political use.
Mr McDowell, Progressive Democrat President, said his party felt it would be very wrong for council budgets to be abused in this manner.
“We regard it as unacceptable, following the public raising of this danger, that Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny TD has yet to agree with that position,” the minister said.
“This is in marked contrast to what one could have expected from Fine Gael leaders in the past.”
The two-day conference will cost around 100 councillors about €650 each. But it is understood a number of councils had already approved the expenditure, at Fine Gael’s request.
Mr McDowell asked: “Is probity in public life no longer important to Fine Gael?
“I call on the leader of Fine Gael Enda Kenny TD to issue a statement making clear that no councillor should claim expenses from his or her local authority for attending this party political event.”
Mr McDowell said he would be raising the matter with the Public Offices Commission and writing to the local government auditor over councillors who allegedly abuse council budgets.
