Councillors continue to be paid thousands to attend conferences

Councillors meeting in Lifford.

DESPITE a recruitment embargo and savage cuts to the Donegal County Council budget, councillors continue to be paid tens of thousands of euro to attend conferences up and down the country.

At Monday’s meeting of the council in Lifford, a proposal was passed to authorise the attendance of elected members at six such events in venues as far away as West Cork, Tipperary and Galway. There was no discussion on the issue.

Among the six upcoming conferences, one titled ‘Regulation of Lobbying’ is being held in Clonakilty, County Cork over three days next weekend, from August 7 to 9.

Another one on ‘Local Economic and Community Plans’ will also take place over three days in September in the Horse and Jockey Hotel, County Tipperary.

According to a note with the agenda, it will cost €794 to send a Donegal delegate to the Cork event. Of this amount, €536 will go towards mileage.

The cost of sending a councillor to a conference on planning in Letterkenny next weekend will cost the council €204, including €59 for mileage.

Last year, the Donegal News exclusively revealed that seventeen councillors were paid almost €30,000 in 2013 to attend conferences.

For full report, see this week’s Donegal News or subscribe to our digital edition.

Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere