Where your money went in 2013

At the start of each year I release details of my after tax earnings from local authority membership. I’ve done this since 2007 and will continue to do it in the public interest. I hope that it demystifies politics and what is often perceived to be a gravy train. After 10 years as a member of a local authority I can tell you  there is no gravy train in Wexford, there’s no fortune to be made.  I pay 42% tax on all allowances, USC and PRSI as does any councillor who is an ordinary worker and pays PAYE.  Everything that is lodged to my account is net of all deductions so figures declared above are what are paid to me.

There are a number of bodies that I am a member of where I have never made any application for expenses in 2013. These are the Board of YouthReach which had 3 meetings and The Audit Committee of Co Wexford VEC which held 2 meetings in 2013. This is because there is a requirement to be away from home for 3 hours or more before a claim can be lodged. In  the case of those meeting mentioned above that time limit wasn’t reached.

In total in 2013 I received  €5,552.84. This comprised of 3853.26 in relation to attending WBC meetings, 2 conferences one on Tourism and another on Drugs that I received a total of €909 and also a phone allowance of €160.  The total paid by the VEC/ETB was €630.58. The VEC/ETB payment is slightly up on the 2012 declaration and is due to meetings being held in Waterford as opposed to Wexford and the travel involved.

There is a difference between gross payments which are released to the media and net tax payments which those on PAYE receive. The media makes no distinction and doesn’t clarify this when they set out payments.    So that’s what I got.  It is in net terms the difference between having a senior post of responsibility at work and a lower post which I hold. I’ve always believed no matter how much it is that as its public money there is a need to account. So it’s your right to know.

Where your money goes

 

At the start of each year I report on how much I’ve received on allowances as a public representative in the previous 12 months.  This is the 5th year I've done this.  In summary I recevied significantly less money this year as I was did not serve as Mayor at any time in 2012. The Mayor receives an allowance above that paid to all other councillors to allow for additional expenses incurred.  I know it annoys some Mayors or Chairpersons in some local authorities when they are reported as being in receipt of payments.  I've always apid tax on all income so I've no issue with figures being reported provided they set out what actually ended up in my bank account.  2012 is no different although the sum's given below is what I actually receive once tax, PRSI, levies etc are all paid off.

In 2012 I received an after tax a total of €5,318.20 for all my work as a councillor.  This is broken down as follows €305 for telephone bill, €508 for 2 conferences and representing the Mayor at the Mayors Cup in Wales and €4,112 for representational payments in total. As a member of Co Wexford VEC I received €392.61 for attending monthly meetings.

In 2012 I made no expense claim for either attending any of the following committes that I am a member of nor business arising from my membership of ; Co Wexford VEC Audit committee, Youthreach Board of Managment or  Wexford area RAPID Committee, of which I was chair. No claims either for attending public meetings or recpetions arising from being a councillor although the myth persists that councillors get paid for getting out of bed! 

I attended 2 conferences, one in Limerick in June that was on planning law to which I travelled by train. The second one was in Greystones in September on the future of local authorities. Both topics are more than relevant to the work of a councillor. In the absence of the Mayor I presented the Mayors Cup in Milford Haven Golf Club

In addition 2012 sees the preparation for the new county plan.  It’s important that any councillor should declare any interest in advance of the plan being put to councillors.  I made a submission in relation to the plan as part of the campaign to restore the rail service on the South Wexford rail line.  I’ve requested the zoning and preservation of the rail line within the county and all infrastructure associated with it.

In the overall scheme of things €5,300 isn’t at the top or bottom of the list but it’s not the money it’s the accountability that matters.  

The right to know

I’ve always started out the new year by publishing my expenses as a councillor from the previous year. This year is no different. Below are the details of all money I received after tax arising from my membership of Wexford Borough Council. The amount I received is significantly less than other years despite serving as Mayor for 6 months of 2011 when compared with amounts declared by me in previous years.

This is explained by a cut in allowances to councillors from Central government. During the year as Mayor I made one trip outside the country to the London Wexford Association’s annual dinner dance in Camden for which I received approximately €331. I attended 2 conferences; The Local Authority Members Association annual conference in Dundalk last April and the Borders Midland West Conference on the role of the culture in the economy in November. I received almost €417 for the April conference and €514 for the November conference. The amount I received after tax for the representational allowance was almost €6,651. As I am employed the tax is paid on all the allowance at the higher rate as well as USC and PRSI. The amount received from Co Wexford VEC was almost €473. Unless the committee member attends the meeting there is no payment by the VEC for expenses. In 2011 I attended all meetings of Wexford Borough Council and 10 out of 11 meetings of Co Wexford VEC. I made no application for phone expenses in 2011 in relation to my Mayoral duties as the Mayor benefits from a mobile phone.

So the total I received because I was a public representative in 2011 was €8,546.44 after tax. I know that other councillors in other parts of the country get more and some get less. I’m happy to provide this information, it’s the public’s right to know.