Limerick Councillors Deny Any Fiddle On Expenses

By Norma Prendiville

TWO county councillors, accused of being in "two places at the same time" have stoutly denied the suggestion they made claims on the double for conferences they attended.
Cllrs Kevin Sheahan (FF) and Rose Brennan (FG) were named in a Sunday newspaper at the weekend in an article headlined: "The councillors who claim to be two places at the one time".

The conference was brought here at the instigation of the association's former secretary, Cllr Sheahan - a conference which, he said this Wednesday, would provide a much-needed boost for the Mid-West economy.

"I reject outright the allegation that I have in some way misbehaved with regard to expenses," Cllr Sheahan continued. And he said his family, friends and supporters were devastated by the allegations made in the Irish Mail on Sunday.

"I have checked my diary and the record in County Hall and I am 100 per cent certain that I made no improper claim."

Among the claims made in the article, was that Cllr Sheahan claimed expenses for being in Ballybunion for a conference from April 2- 6 last year, "while simultaneously being in Donegal between April 4 and 6".

Cllr Rose Brennan also rejected the implication that she double-claimed expenses for the same dates.

According to the article: "Fine Gael's Rose Brennan was in Castlebar, Co Mayo on November 26 and 27 for the LAMA winter seminar (subsistence €280, mileage €290) but was also in Ennistymon, Co Clare on November 27 at the Clare Tourism Conference."

Having checked her record Cllr Brennan said she went to Castlebar on Tuesday, November 25 and registered that evening. She stayed over on Tuesday night and again on Wednesday, November 26, returning home to Adare on Thursday, November 27.

She travelled to Ennistymon late on Thursday, November 27, and stayed until the conference finished on Saturday. She stayed three nights but claimed only for two overnight stays (€280) for that conference as well as a day allowance of €41.55 for part of Saturday. Mileage came to €107 but Ms Brennan pointed out that Ennistymon is 82km from Adare and not 65 as stated in the Sunday newspaper.

"There is absolutely no question of my trying to claim on the double," she said emphatically. "I couldn't have done it." Anything she has claimed was legitimate and above board, she stressed.

But the issue has raised questions over the allowance of €9,000 which is the maximum councillors can claim for going to conferences.

Cllr Sheahan said reform was needed - something which councillors had been seeking for ten years but got no response from various Ministers or from the Department. The money could be spent on training to keep councillors up to date, he said but this was not allowed.

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