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Craughwell has been open about his presidential ambitions. MarkStedman/RollingNews.ie

Presidential hopeful defends advising local councillors about how to 'maximise' mileage expenses

Senator Gerard Craughwell said an email he sent to local politicians was in the public interest.

PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL SENATOR Gerard Craughwell has defended sending a note to councillors in which he gave them advice on how to “maximise allowable expenses”.

The email was sent to all city and county councillors by the Independent Senator and related to mileage expenses.

In the email, the senator said the councillors could be “under claiming” by over €1,000 per year and he advised them to “track the distances being travelled”.

Craughwell has been clear in his intention to run for the presidency. To get on the ballot, someone must be nominated by at least 20 members of the Oireachtas or by at least four local councils.

The subject line on the email to councillors reads: “Are You Under Claiming On Your Travel Expenses?”

Craughwell told TheJournal.ie that he was contacted by six councillors who had issues surrounding travel and subsistence allowances.

In securing a response to their queries, he forwarded it to all councillors.

“When we get information that’s of value to sitting county councillors we circulate to them all and this was an issue that raised by a number of councillors,” he said.

Craughwell described councillors as “my constituency” and added that he answers to them.

The electorate for Seanad elections is made up largely of city and county councillors.

Mileage

The email in question was specifically directed at councillors who also work with other public bodies, such as those in the teaching profession or in the HSE.

It advised such councillors that they are entitled to add up their mileage from both bodies before gauging which mileage band they may claim tax relief for.

Under changes introduced last year, there are now four bands under which civil service members may claim relief.

PastedImage-55143 revenue.ie revenue.ie

In the email, Craughwell said that he had been contacted by “many councillors” about claiming travel and subsistence expenses and that he wanted to provide clarity.

He said that he contacted the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and that it confirmed to him that the aggregate across the two public service bodies is acceptable.

“To ensure that you maximise allowable expenses, I would advise each councillor to keep a track themselves of the distance being travelled on all their Public Service Travel and when they have exceeded 1,500 km in total, to advise each organisation from which they are claiming a travel expense that they are now on Band 2, 3 or 4 as applicable,” Craughwell said in the note to councillors.

Presidential

Social Democrat councillor Dermot Looney raised the email on Twitter on Tuesday, tweeting:

Interesting to see the presidential hopeful Senator emailing Cllrs nationally with the title “Are you under-claiming on your travel expenses?” with details of how to claim more from the state. #priorities #presidential.

Asked to expand on this yesterday, Looney said he found Claughwell’s email to be “laughable”.

“Senators should be focused on being legislators, not providing expenses advice to councillors,” he said.

In a response to the councillor’s tweet, Senator Craughwell said the information contained in the email is useful to any member of the public who works for a public body.

In another follow-up tweet, Craughwell said that he “doesn’t apologise” for advising councillors about their expenses and also spoke about the councillor’s profession.

PastedImage-75332 Twitter / GCraughwell Twitter / GCraughwell / GCraughwell

Asked by TheJournal.ie about his interaction with Looney, Craughwell questioned why the councillor chose to raise the matter.

“Councillor Looney will have got dozens of emails from me over the years, he chose that one to tweet on. I have no idea what rationale he was using, Twitter is a bit of craic for most people,” he said.

Craughwell also denied that his advice was about buttering up councillors in case he needs to rely on them for a nomination.

“Well if I’m trying to butter out councillors ahead of a nomination I’m at it since 2014, it’s a long time,” he said.

Look I haven’t even said I will go to County Councils for a nomination. County councillors are shrewd political purists, you might say, and you won’t buy their favour too handy, as anyone who has ever ran in the Seanad election knows. They asked for that information, they are entitled to that information.

Craughwell previously stated that he would be starting the process of securing a nomination for the presidency early this year and that he felt councils would “line up to nominate people”.

Speaking yesterday, he said that “hasn’t even considered” what route he’ll go to secure a nomination and that he felt the media was getting ahead of his plans.

Craughwell, a former member of Fine Gael, has called on the larger parties to make their intentions known about whether they would be contesting for the presidency.

Read: Could this be our next president? >

Read: It’s getting more and more likely that we’ll have a presidential election this year* >

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121 Comments
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    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony O Neill
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    Jun 28th 2024, 11:07 AM

    Don’t understand all the hype.

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    Mute Brendan O'Brien
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    Jun 28th 2024, 11:14 AM

    I think we can take it that the number of people with tickets are going and the rest aren’t.

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    Mute IMHO
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    Jun 28th 2024, 11:05 AM

    I’d sooner gouge my own eyes out with a blunt pencil.

    156
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    Mute Liam O'Reilly
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    Jun 28th 2024, 11:08 AM

    @IMHO:oooh you are so edgy!

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    Mute Sean Parker
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    Jun 28th 2024, 12:29 PM

    @Liam O’Reilly: his pencil isn’t doh it seems.

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    Mute Andy Masterson
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    Jun 28th 2024, 12:48 PM

    @IMHO: luckily they aren’t the only options. You can just not go

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    Mute Clyde Bear
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    Jun 28th 2024, 5:46 PM

    @IMHO: A sharp one would cause more damage I’d imagine.

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    Mute gordon o loughlin
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    Jun 28th 2024, 8:10 PM

    @IMHO: lol.

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    Mute gordon o loughlin
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    Jun 28th 2024, 8:11 PM

    @IMHO: I think the ears would be my priority haha

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    Mute Steve O'Hara-Smith
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    Jun 28th 2024, 11:38 AM

    I’ll be about as far from her gig as possible in Ireland, at home on the wet coast of Kerry.
    I enjoyed a wonderful open mic night last night in Tralee intimate and friendly, some great talent, some original songs, no crowds, no trouble getting there, parking or getting back and free.
    I’m no fan of big gigs or her style but for those who are I hope they have a great night.

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    Mute Kevin Kerr
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    Jun 28th 2024, 11:50 AM

    @Steve O’Hara-Smith: agree, I much prefer a smaller, more intimate gig these days, be it in The Academy in town, Harbour Bar in Bray or Arthur’s in town. Taylor Swift just isn’t my thing, but pop has never being my thing really, with the odd exception. Hope everyone enjoys it this weekend.

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    Mute Robert Halvey
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    Jun 28th 2024, 11:55 AM

    @Steve O’Hara-Smith: I spent a few years in the army barracks back in the day ,a great town ,bally b and bagatelle and u2 playing, ireland is good place to live and instead of rancor, we should possibly enjoy

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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    Jun 28th 2024, 1:29 PM

    @Steve O’Hara-Smith: we have countless amounts of open mic and small acts in dublin too, but we also get superstars like taylor. the land of plenty!

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    Mute Steve O'Hara-Smith
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    Jun 28th 2024, 5:13 PM

    @eoin fitzpatrick: Each to their own but should I want to see a superstar in Dublin I expect that the drive from the traffic jam for the N7/M50 junction to wherever I can park and the walk from there to my seat/spot at the gig may well take longer than the drive from North Kerry to that traffic jam.

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    Mute Robert Halvey
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    Jun 28th 2024, 11:04 AM

    Welcome to ireland woman ,enjoy yourself and experience the craic

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    Mute Alan
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    Jun 28th 2024, 12:16 PM

    @Robert Halvey: correction: monetise the craic. As lydon said ‘ever get the feeling you’ve been had?’ 3 days 03 hired out for merchandise lol

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    Mute Robert Halvey
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    Jun 28th 2024, 12:25 PM

    @Alan: iam on the drink ,what’s your excuse

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    Mute A D
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    Jun 28th 2024, 12:52 PM

    @Alan: (He said “Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated?”)

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    Mute Alan
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    Jun 28th 2024, 3:47 PM

    @A D: you’re right. My mistake. A great line.

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    Mute Adam
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    Jun 28th 2024, 11:46 AM

    Two articles in the first four stories are about this pop star, imagine calling yourself a journalist and printing this tripe.

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    Mute Kevin Kerr
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    Jun 28th 2024, 12:11 PM

    @Adam: ah give over, Mr Grumpy. It’s the weekend! And journalists need to start somewhere – they don’t go straight to the politics desk on the Washington Post

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    Mute Brian Dunne
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    Jun 28th 2024, 11:52 AM

    No, not my bag. But i hope all the swifties have a great time and enjoy!

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    Mute stephen cunningham
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    Jun 28th 2024, 11:41 AM

    Cant wait! Bringing the four kids! Going to be epic!

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    Mute Ger Power
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    Jun 28th 2024, 12:13 PM

    Thankfully I couldn’t name or recognise one of her songs. I am starting a walking tour this weekend of a street in Dublin she once walked on 10 years ago, tickets are a bargain at €100 for a 10 minute guided walk of nothing.

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    Mute David Lambe
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    Jun 28th 2024, 11:06 AM

    No

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    Mute Eddienowy Byrne
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    Jun 28th 2024, 12:14 PM

    Pain in me whatsits with the amount of hype about it

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    Mute Padraig O'Brien
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    Jun 28th 2024, 12:41 PM

    I don’t rate her “music ” myself but have no objection to her or her fans enjoying themselves however the hype is beyond sickening.

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    Mute Gavin Gray
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    Jun 28th 2024, 12:53 PM

    @Padraig O’Brien: her fans are worse than the journal trolls

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    Mute Gavin Gray
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    Jun 28th 2024, 12:29 PM

    if she was in the back garden, I would close the curtains

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    Mute Vincent Alexander
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    Jun 28th 2024, 1:10 PM

    @Gavin Gray: I’d look for my glasses.

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    Mute Nodon
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    Jun 28th 2024, 1:40 PM

    @Gavin Gray: I’d leave the curtains open and insert earplugs.

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    Mute Mojo
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    Jun 28th 2024, 12:14 PM

    Idol worship

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    Mute Ray Buckley
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    Jun 28th 2024, 3:15 PM

    As a seasoned concert goer she wouldn’t be my cuppa tea but I hope everybody going to TS and any other Gig over the weekend has a great time , I shall be attending Stevie Nicks on Wednesday myself .

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    Mute Mick Hanna
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    Jun 28th 2024, 12:53 PM

    I like her and her music, but I am finished going to concerts. Can’t be bothered.

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    Mute Joseph Fitzgibbon
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    Jun 28th 2024, 10:23 PM

    I must be missing something. Most of her songs I’ve heard, sound very similar, although I have to admit that I haven’t heard too many of them. She is a good singer and clearly a good entertainer but I can’t see me humming along to any of her songs in the years to come. I think the quality of songs these days are so poor compared to the likes of 70s, 80s, 90s, even noughties, but maybe that’s just me getting old.

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    Mute gordon o loughlin
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    Jun 28th 2024, 8:10 PM

    If she was out in the garden I’d close the curtains lol

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    Mute Ciarán Nestor
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    Jun 28th 2024, 5:18 PM

    *Tommy Bowe voice* Ten Albums??!

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    Mute martin finnegan
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    Jun 29th 2024, 9:25 PM

    Stevie Nicks a million times better than her

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    Mute martin finnegan
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    Jun 29th 2024, 9:24 PM

    Music these days is so poor compared to years ago. So manufactured .

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    Mute martin finnegan
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    Jun 29th 2024, 9:21 PM

    Not that great cant understand what big deal is with her. So many better artists out there.

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    Mute Vincent Hickey
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    Jun 29th 2024, 9:33 PM

    ???

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