Clare County Council Expenses Go Online

Clare County Council today became one of the first local authorities in the country to make the expenses of its Councillors and Executive available online.

The move has been unanimously approved by the Council’s 32 elected representatives and will allow members of the public to view all Allowances and Expenses paid to Councillors, including income from committees and boards, Mayoral allowances, and travel and office expenses.

The online information, which will be updated on a regular basis on the Clare County Council website www.clarecoco.ie, also includes the Council Executive’s expenses and numerous examples of meetings attended by Councillors.

Mayor of Clare Councillor Tony Mulcahy said the move is aimed at bringing transparency to the issue of County Councillors’ gross earnings

The Mayor explained: “For some time there has been somewhat of a distorted view that details of such expenses and allowances were being shielded from the public. However, such information has always been available on the public record and I am delighted that Clare County Council and my fellow elected representatives have agreed to make this information more easily accessible. I believe that as the gross income earned by councillors is taxpayers' money, such details should be open and transparent rather than being accessible only under the Freedom of Information Act”.

Clare County Manager Tom Coughlan added: “In the spirit of cooperation, which exists between the Council Executive and elected members, the Management team is happy to publish details of expenses online.”

- Councillors expenses
- Executive expenses

ABOVE PIC: Mayor of Clare Councillor Tony Mulcahy and County Secretary Michael McNamara. Pic by Arthur Ellis, Press 22

New Quay N.S. Project Approved

St. Coleman's National School in New Quay has been allocated funds allowing it to proceed with small-scale capital works, Minister of State Tony Killeen confirmed today.

The local T.D. said he had been notified by the Department of Education and Science of its decision to approve grant aid for the works at the North Clare School.

Commenting on the nature of the works being funded, Minister of State Killeen said: “The funding allocation will allow for the heating system at the National School to be upgraded. The Building Unit of the Department of Education and Science has informed me that it will be in contact with the school authorities shortly in relation to the amount of funding approved”.

Dairy Efficiency Programme Closing Date Nears

Tony Killeen TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has reminded Clare farmers that the closing date for participation in the Dairy Efficiency Programme is Friday 19 February 2010.

Under the programme, dairy farmers are being encouraged to implement best practice in the running of their enterprises through participation in discussion groups.

Minister of State Killeen said:” It is clear that considerable efficiencies can be gained by dairy farmers through participation in discussion groups, and I hope that a high number will participate in this programme. Group facilitators will play a key role, and I urge the County’s dairy farmers who are interested in joining groups but have not already done so to contact one of the facilitators on the list that is now available. “

The Clare T.D. added that a full list of facilitators who will be available to form and manage discussion groups under the Programme is now available from Co-operatives and Dairies, as well as on the website of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food www.agriculture.ie