Elected members of Waterford City and County Council were paid €551,369-30 for the first six months of the Councils history

The 32 elected members of Waterford City and County Council were paid €551,369-30 in expenses between them for the first six months of the Councils history, a report in this week’s Dungarvan Observer shows.

The report by Paul Mooney shows that all 32 councillors were paid a representation allowance of €9,569-30 from the time they were elected midway through the year until the end of 2014.

Five Councillors (John Carey {FG}, John Hearne {SF}, Joe Kelly {IND), Michael J O’Ryan {FF} and Lola O’Sullivan {FG) were paid a further €3,449-70 SPC Allowance.

James Tobin {FF} was paid a taxable allowance of €11,279-82 for filling the position of Chairman and a further non-taxable allowance of €5,639-84 for filling the same position.

Mayor of the Waterford City/Tramore Metropolitan area Lola O’Sullivan {FG} received a taxable allowance of €5,001-92 and a non-taxable allowance of €5,043-98 for filling the position.

Damien Geoghegan {FG} as leader of the Dungarvan/Lismore area was paid a taxable €909-10 and a non-taxable €2,915-67 while his Comeragh Area counterpart Michael J O’Ryan {FF} received a €552-90 which was taxable and €2,765-09 which was not taxable.

14 of the 32 Councillors did not claim conference expenses which consists of Subsistence Allowances, Travel Mileage and Booking Fees.

Of the 18 Councillors that did claim the above expenses, Michael J O’Ryan (FF) claim the least (€86-90) while party Tommy Cronin claimed the highest expenses (€2,520-11) just ahead of another Fianna Fail representative John O’Leary (€2, 269-44) and Labours sole representative on the Council John Pratt (€2,205-15).

The full list of those that claimed such expenses are Michael J O’Ryan (€86-90), Declan Clune (€133-90), Sean Reinhardt (€326-72), Eddie Mulligan (€441-70), Jason Murphy (€514-19), James Tobin (€581-20), Seanie Power (€777-55), Mary Butler (€794-69), Liam Brazil (€895-48), Pat Nugent (€1,005-02), Laurence O’Neill (€1,333-71), Damien Geoghegan (€1,346-71), John Carey (€1,347-43), Declan Doocey (€1,488-48), Joe Conway (€1,963-39), John Pratt (€2,205-15), John O’Leary (€2,269-44) and Tommy Cronin (€2,520-11).

Of the 12 councillors that claimed mobile phone expenses, John Pratt (Lab) was paid the least (€112-28) while Laurence O’Neill received the highest payment (€541-47).

In total €306,217-60 was paid in representational allowances from June to December 2014. Expenses for the same time period amounted to €163,840-65, SPC Allowances amounted to €17,348-50, Mayor/Chairperson and Vice Mayor/Chairperson expenses amounted to €20,731-69 which was taxable with a further €19,849-81 which is untaxable was paid out.

€4,177-81 was paid in Subsistence Allowances, €13,107-83 in Travel Allowances and €2,7460-19 was paid in booking fees, while €3,339-22 was paid out in mobile phone expenses.

 

Waterford County and City Councillors Expenses – June to December 2014

Declan Clune – Sinn Féin – Comeragh Area - €14,252-16

Breda Brennan – Sinn Féin – Waterford City South - €14,427-35

Davy Daniels – Ind. – Waterford City East - €14,427-35

Eamon Quinlan – Fianna Fail – Tramore/Waterford City West - €14,427-35

Siobhan Whelan – Sinn Fein – Dungarvan/Lismore - €14,427-35

Adam Gary Wyse – Fianna Fail – Waterford City East - €14,427-35

Blaise Hannigan – Ind. – Tramore/Waterford City West - €14,617-35

Sean Reinhardt – Ind. – Waterford City South - €14,754-07

Mary Roche – Ind. – Waterford City East - €14,904-70

Pat Fitzgerald – Sinn Fein – Waterford City East - €14,929-55

Jim Griffin – Sinn Fein – Tramore/Waterford City West - €14,929-55

Seamus O’Donnell – Ind. – Dungarvan/Lismore - €15,006-80

Mary Butler – Fianna Fail – Comeragh - €15,078-38

Eddie Mulligan – Fianna Fail – Waterford City East - €15,087-29

Liam Brazil – Fine Gael – Comeragh - €15,225-97

Pat Nugent – Fine Gael – Dungarvan/Lismore - €15,432-37

Seanie Power – Fine Gael – Comeragh - €15,474-35

Laurence O’Neill – Ind. – Waterford City South - €16,302-53

John O’Leary – Fianna Fail – Comeragh - €16,464-89

Joe Conway – Ind. – Tramore/Waterford City West - €16,700-74

Declan Doocey – Fine Gael – Dungarvan/Lismore - €17,345-33

Tommy Cronin – Fianna Fail – Dungarvan/Lismore - €17,797-36

John Cummins – Fine Gael – Waterford City South - €17,798-08

John Hearne – Sinn Fein – Waterford City South - €17,877-05

Joe Kelly – Ind. – Tramore/Waterford City South - €17,877-05

Jason Murphy – Fianna Fail – Waterford City South - €18,325-24

John Pratt – Labour – Dungarvan/Lismore - €18,483-28

Damien Geoghegan – Fine Gael – Dungarvan/Lismore - €19,842-63

John Carey – Fine Gael – Waterford City East - €19,842-63

Michael J O’Ryan – Fianna Fail – Comeragh - €22,652-81

Lola O’Sullivan – Fine Gael – Tramore/Waterford City West - €28,463-75

James Tobin – Fianna Fail – Dungarvan/Lismore – 433,859-91

Average Payments

The Fianna Fail members on the council received an average of €18,680-06

The Fine Gael members on the council received an average of €18,666-48

The sole Labour member of the council received €18,483-28

The Independent members of the council received an average of €15-573-82

The Sinn Fein members of the council received an average of €15,140-50

 

The Average payment for the members of Waterford City East was €15,603-15

The Average payment for the members of Comeragh was €16,524-93

The Average payment for the members of Waterford City South was €16,580-72

The Average payment for the members of Tramore/Waterford City West was €17,835-95

The Average payment for the members of Dungarvan/Lismore was €19.012-59

Government funding for Waterford airport

Waterford Airport is one of four regional airports have been handed a lifeline after Europe rubber-stamped State aid over the next four years.

Donegal, Kerry, Knock and Waterford Airports will now all be able to receive a slice of a €42.5 million government investment under the move.

The EU Commission approval paves the way for each airport to apply for the critical funding.

Waterford Airport’s inclusion in the programme will allow for the State to provide financial supports to the four regional airports, over the lifetime of the programme.

Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe has said "Approval of the 2015-2019 programme will greatly assist the regional airports in working towards a position of viability over the course of the programme".

The Minister however, has warned that, under European guidelines, the regional airports will have until April 2024 to become self-sufficient as financial support is to be axed.

"The level of funding provided in each year of the programme will be determined on the basis of submissions from the airports, including five year business plans, and the availability of exchequer resources in any one year," he added.

"The formal approval permits Ireland to provide financial supports to the regional airports, under the two main schemes over the period 2015 to 2019.

Negotiations to allow for the State aid of Irish regional airports had been ongoing with the past twelve months.

Paraglider recovering after Comeragh Mountains Crash

A paraglider is recovering from minor injuries after he was involved in a crash in the Comeragh Mountains on Saturday afternoon.

Two members of a Clonmel Mountaineering Club, Gerard Sheehy and Pat Beardmore were out walking in the mountains when the paraglider flying over them crashed into the summit of Seefin Mountain, overlooking the Kilbrien and Kilrossanty areas of County Waterford at about 1-30pm.

The pair who are part of the Clonmel Peaks Mountaineering Club immediately ran the emergency services and in less than an hour the injured man was removed to hospital.

Man killed in County Waterford plane crash

One man has died following an air accident in Co. Waterford this evening around 7pm.

Emergency services are currently at the scene.

The dead man is believed to be in his sixty’s and was the sole occupant in the plane.

Reports this evening say that a light aircraft came down close to Bridie Terries near Dungarvan.

The Irish Coastguard Helicopter Rescue 117 based at Waterford Regional Airport is assisting at the scene of the accident.

Its understood that Shannon Air Control received a May Day Call from the aircraft this evening.

The aircraft is understood the light aircraft took off from Waterford and was heading towards Shannon.

The man is understood to have been travelling to an air show in the Limerick area tomorrow.

Early reports suggest that the pilot in his May Day call reported a fire on board the place before crashing.

Locals have reported that the aircraft was seen flying very low before it hit the ground

Units of Waterford City and County Council Fire Brigade Service as well as Gardai and an Ambulance were called to the scene and some are expected to remain there for some time.

The scene of the crash has been preserved, and the Air Accident Investigation Unit attached to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport is believed to be on their way to the scene.

The pilot’s remains are reported to have been now brought to University Hospital Waterford.

The man’s identity will not be released until next of kin are informed.

No Waterford voice on Committee set up to look at Two Mayor Systems in Waterford and Limerick

A committee set up by Local Government Minister Alan Kelly to look at two-mayor system in both Waterford and Limerick has no representation from the City or County in either county.

In 2012, then Local Government Minister Phil Hogan brought together a programme to the Cabinet which was passed seeing the unification of Town Councils across Ireland into the County Councils as well as both Waterford and Limerick City Councils merging with the County Councils in the two respective counties, after the local elections which were to be held in 2014.

Tipperary North Riding and Tipperary South Riding Councils also merged to form one Council.

The move to merge Town and County Councils as well as Waterford and Limerick City and County Councils came on the back of recommendations made by a committee set up by Phil Hogan to examine the feasibility of such a move.

When then Minster Hogan introduced his plan it was announced that the merger of Waterford City and County Councils would save between Five and Nine Million Euro a year following the removal of duplication. The merger of the two councils in Limerick it was reported at the time would save up to fifteen million euro a year while the merger in Tipperary it was envisaged would save up to six million euro a year.

The Limerick Leader’s Website is reporting that Fine Gael TD Patrick O’Donovan raised the issue of Limerick having both a Metropolitan Mayor and an overall City and County Mayor. Minister Alan Kelly the report says “has said he had initiated a review into this”.

The group set up to look at Duel Mayoralty contains representatives of local authorities in Carlow, Kildare, Tipperary, Donegal and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, there is no-one from Limerick, or indeed Waterford, where there is also a two-mayor system in place.

The website report goes on to say that Limerick Councillor Jerry O’Dea has called on current Minister Alan Kelly to include a Limerick Representative on the committee.

The report says that Fine Gael council leader in Limerick Council John Sheahan met Minister Kelly this week and urged him to “desist” from making any changes to Limerick’s dual mayoralty system, at least for the time being.

Councillor Sheahan added that “The power was given to us in the Local Government Reform Act to decide on roles. We have done so, and are putting a protocol around the pecking order of the Mayors and the Chairs. We would be hoping this will solve any confusion around the system.”

Councillor Sheahan is PRO of the Local Authority Members Association.

Metropolitan Mayor of Limerick Jerry O’Dea in the report says that he “would be calling on the Minister to make sure there is representation from both Limerick and Waterford on this committee so the unique positions and the history of both cities could be represented.”

Labour Councillor in Limerick Joe Leddin who saw a motion to abolish the Metropolitan Mayoralty in Limerick defeated last month has said: “I’m just delighted this review group has been established. It shows intend on behalf of the minister that this issue of a dual Mayoralty, be it in Limerick, Waterford, or anywhere else, is not sustainable going forward.

“It might be a problem in Waterford and Limerick today, but who’s to say it won’t be a problem if they decide to merge Cork city and county, or Galway city and county? The same issue will arise. The mettle needs to be grasped.”

Bishop Phonsie calls for end to Church Gate Collections for Political Parties

The Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, the Most Very Rev. Aphonsus Cullinan has added his voice to that of the Bishop of Elphin, Most Very Rev. Kevin Doran calling for political parties to put an end to Church Gate Collections.

Speaking to ‘The Irish Catholic’ Newspaper this week, Bishop Cullinan urged politicians to be “consistent” and not to “pressurise” mass goers and called on political parties to “find alternative sources” for fundraising.

The Countries newest Bishop told the newspaper that many people were annoyed at political parties collecting money outside churches despite holding views which directly oppose Church teaching on such vital and basic matters as the right of life and the nature of marriage.

Bishop Cullinan’s call for political parties to end to Church Gate Collections comes after Bishop Doran questioned why some parties are fundraising at local church gates.

In this weeks Irish Catholic, the front page report by Cathal Barry states that a statement from the Elphin Diocese lead by Bishop Doran adds that “While noting that there is “no obligation” on any political party to support the Church or to legislate in accordance with Church teaching, the statement said it was “rather lacking in respect” for people’s faith “that political parties which have consistently advocated policies and introduced legislation which undermine marriage and the right to life of the unborn, should turn up outside our Church gates, Sunday after Sunday to ask Mass-goers to fund their activities”. Acknowledging that political parties are legally entitled to do so, the diocese suggested that “common decency would suggest that they go and collect somewhere else”.

While Fine Gael would not comment specifically on the Diocese of Elphin’s stance, a spokesperson told The Irish Catholic that local constituencies and branches arrange Church gate collections “with the civil authorities and use their own discretion in liaising with local Churches”.

A Fianna Fáil spokesperson said that wherever the party conducts collections, “it does so with the relevant permits issued by An Garda Síochána”.

Meanwhile, Bishop Cullinan will officiate at his first Ordination mass on Sunday afternoon.

Knockanore man Rev. Shane O’Neill will be ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore at the Church of the Sacred Heart.

Rev. O’Neill will become only the fourth man to be ordained as a Diocesan Priest in Waterford and Lismore since the turn of the Millennium.

Waterford City man Colm O’Brien was ordained in 2000. He died in 2009 at the age of 36 following an illness. Fr. Richard O’Halloran from Carrickbeg was ordained in 2001 and currently is Curate in Portlaw and Ballyduff. Clonmel man Fr. Michael Toomey was ordained in 2009 and is currently Curate of Tramore and Carbally and in 2012 Ballyduff Lower man Fr. John Harris who is currently Curate in Dungarvan was ordained.

Bishop Cullinan recently ordained Clonmel man Dr. Lazarus Gidoff as the first ever permanent deacon in the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore at Saint Oliver’s Church in Clonmel. Last weekend Brendan Gallagher, a former Chairman of the Waterford Ladies Football County Board was accepted as a candidate for the Permanent Diaconate programme in the Diocese of Waterford & Lismore.

Dominicans could be set to stay in Ballybeg for a while longer

The Dominican Friars could be set to continue to serve the people of Ballybeg in Waterford City for sometime to come after Dominican Friars in Drogheda vowed to resist plans to move away from the parish after putting their hope in a technical loophole which would reverse plans to see Friars leave the Parish.

Last September it was announced that the Dominicans were to close centres in Dublin, Drogheda, Athy, Limerick and Ballybeg due to a decline in numbers in the Order and an ageing membership. The Dominicans however at the time said they would be retaining a presence at Bridge Street in Waterford City.

Last September a statement from the Dominican Order said that the decision by the Dominicans to close smaller centres will see them instead focus on having communities with at least six friars.

At the time a passionate protest campaign was launched in Drogheda by the Friars as well as the local community as the order had a presence in the town for almost 800 years.

It has however now been learned that the decision to close the five centres as no formal effect as the decision to close the five centres was made by decision of a Provincial county and that under the orders internal rules, a full Chapter meeting of the entire province was necessary to make a decision to close any community. There is no meeting planned of the Full Chapter until the summer of 2016.

The Dominicans have been in Ireland since 1224. They also have houses in Dublin, Cork, Tallaght, Newry, Dundalk, Newbridge, Waterford, Kilkenny, Tralee, Galway and Sligo.

The Dominican community at Ballybeg was established in 1976 although the parish of St Saviour was established and entrusted to the Waterford Dominicans the previous year.