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AN INDEPENDENT TD has claimed his use of pre-paid Oireachtas envelopes to send out invitations to his election campaign launch later this week was not deliberate.
TDs and Senators have repeatedly been advised not to use Oireachtas stationery for election purposes prior to the campaign officially getting underway.
John Halligan, who is aligned with the Independent Alliance, has admitted that around 30 invitations to his general election campaign launch in Waterford’s Granville Hotel this Friday were sent to constituents in pre-paid Oireachtas envelopes.
However, he also revealed that some invitations were included with responses to constituents’ queries which were also sent in the pre-paid envelopes.
Halligan’s campaign will be launched by his fellow independent TD Shane Ross and the broadcaster Eamon Dunphy, who has been involved with the Independent Alliance.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Halligan said that he had run out of a box of normal envelopes to send the invitations out in and so used around 30 of the Oireachtas ones.
TDs receive around 250 pre-paid envelopes from Leinster House authorities every month. Halligan said:
It was an invite to a public meeting so I didn’t see the issue. I don’t use anything from the Oireachtas once the election is called, but if I have broken any rules then I will pay the money back. It was not deliberate.
Halligan said he was checking with authorities to establish whether any rules had been broken.
In guidance issued last November, the Standards in Public Office Commission said clearly:
The Standards Commission has advised that, in advance of the dissolution of the Dáíl, TDs and Senators should not use Oireachtas envelopes (or other facilities) for electoral purposes in connection with the forthcoming general elections for Dail Éireann and Seanad Éireann, in respect of their own candidature, as these facilities have been provided to them arising out of their duties as public representatives. Neither should they provide these facilities to other candidates for electoral or any other purpose.
Similar guidance was issued in May 2014 during the local and European elections.
This was after it emerged that independent TD Clare Daly had used pre-paid envelopes to canvass for votes. Her officials later admitted the error and repaid the money.
The use of Oireachtas facilities, including envelopes, during the election period is allowed, but TDs and Senators are required to repay the cost of what they use to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission.
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Why the hell should they use ‘Oireachtas envelopes’ for electioneering at any time??
FFS if they want to get re-elected use their own money NOT mine and that applies to all of the scrounging B*st*rds
Who does he think he is..? A Fine Gael TD..?
I don’t see him offering to reimburse the cost of the envelopes, if it was a genuine mistake.
Well at least it’s not party policy
We’re reporting on election stationary now!! Really scraping the bottom of the barrel. Wouldnt mind hearing candidates or partys realistic policies instead of this rubbish
He owes us back the 20 euros. Let’s make a huge thing of this. It distracts from the hospital report.
Jesus 30 envelopes!!………..Non story.
Seems to be a bit of a non story here. No doubt people will get into fits and call it disgusting as they tend to do!
If he was a Gov. TD people on here would be going ape over it.
KM, only if it’s FG.
FG and Labour Gov TDs are c###s whereas Gilligan is a decent human being and doesn’t ask ” what’s in it for me ? ” Hope this helps offtheball
*Halligan
Tom the difference is he admitted that he had done it and it wasn’t deliberate and he would pay the €20 back. A certain fg td spent thousands on phone calls to Kenya and denied it numerous times , when eventually they quietly paid back the thousands.
Littleone, one word “ink”. For god sake All politicians are the same at the end of the day. And all the commenters coming on here thinking the SF are any better is laughable. I will spread my vote and hope we get a good mix (the best possible).
Dodgy is dodgy FG, FF, labour, SF etc etc they ain’t fit to lead this nation so stop trying to big up the likes of SF.
Tom. Where do I big up sf. Come on show me. Talking about blowing your top. Looks like you have. You made the comment that if he was a fg td. I made the point in the difference in what John halligan did and a fg did.
Tom was a nerve hit. Is that the reason for your crazy rant
Is that the best you can do Tom. Digging up an ink story from 10 years ago. Seriously!
Littleone, no nerve was hit. And if you are honest you know my so called rant is 100% correct. Now stop making a show of yourself.
Ah tom enough said. Carry on with your crazy rants and make up believe world . people can read the comments and I am sure its not me that made a show.
Littleone. Exactly.
Seamus, dodgy is dodgy.
Thanks tom. At least you agree its you that has the crazy rants and has made a show.
Littleone, go on and tell people your real name?
Tom what a weird thing to ask ? Why.
Says tom with the fake Facebook account. Tom no mates.
So your alright tom . I will decline to give my real name to someone who sets up fake Facebook accounts . safety and all. Their is a lot of crazies on the internet .
You’re the only one mentioning SF Tom.Some inner reflection , contemplation and a chat with a homeless person in a park is needed for you I think.
Think they may need to think about a ban on using oireachtas printing facilities and envelopes for political propaganda purposes for a six month period before a general election. Not fair on non sitting candidates.
And that includes a permanent ban on christmas cards and calenders at the tax payers expense!
Hear, hear, Reg. It irritates me to have to pay for someone to bombard me with junk mail. Is it too late to call yet again for a ban on the most offensive item of all – Election Posters?
Blueshirts across the country are now looking for distractions. Firstly Lowry now the waiting list report. I expect Gerry Adams to be arrested again shortly before the election is announced.
I got a leaflet this week from one of our local TD in an oireachtas prepaid envelope, telling me all his hard work since last election. It’s blatant electioneering. I’ve received nothing from said TD since the last election. Hall if an is a non story. I’m sure he’ll repay the estimated 20eur.
He’s also been using 4 sheets when wiping his arse in the Dail toilets, the chancer!
Halligans a decent skin. I find it highly unlikely that he would intentionally risk negative headlines this close to an election for the sake of saving less change than he probably has down the back of his sofa.
Non story. Is there negative news about FG/Labour brewing by any chance??
Video for homer simpson dateline interview▶ 0:34
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0FZ0sqGDqY
May 31, 2014 – Uploaded by manda877
+MadonnaSaigon No problem! I was expecting the actual interview of what Homer was going …
Did your overlords in Fine Gowl order a distraction story Hugh O Connell ? #finegaelwhatsinitforme
Pat Mustard.
Good old FG propaganda manager Hugh with another Exclusive about someone from another party other than FG. Also for the unteenth time of asking can you find out from your FG masters when the findings ot the Moriarty report will be acted on by this government. Especially as your fiddling FG friend Mr Lowery is back in the news. Mr Lowery you may need reminding was involved with said enquiry along with another FG friend Mr D O B.
Taxpayers money pissed away in the billions but this is outrageous, I’m absolutely spiting with rage here, stationary thief is no laughing matter. Those envelopes are supposed to be used for writing letters of recommendation for criminals and the like.
Zero tolerance guys, this is how it starts. Chas Haughey started this way.
30 envelopes is hardly the equivalent os stealing huge amounts of ink toner.
Or making phone calls to Kenya.
True, or using the phone to vote for oneself in a reality competition.
Well then it’s incompetence which is just as bad.
If it was a government TD we would want to know about it so it should be reported when it’s the opposition. Whether it’s a big deal or not, it’s all about perception. If he was to do this what else has he done that we don’t know about.?
Ooooooh, Seamus, let’s speculate then. Perhaps he entered the Miss World Competition fraudulently; or sucked budgies, or gave people sweeties he’d had up his bum!!! (credit: Billy Connolly). You just couldn’t be up to these fellahs.
Crucify him !!!!
I have a Sign over my letterbox which clearly states No Junk mail yet politicians don’t believe their leaflets are junk mail and continue abusing my letterbox by posting them the recent abuser of the letterbox was joe Costello who ignored my wishes as the house holder and posted his junk mail that’s why I will not b voting for any politician who continue to abuse my letter box politicians who do respect my wishes might have a chance of getting a vote from my house
Good man Liam, you vote for any old eejit as long as he doesn’t put anything in your letterbox! It probably wasn’t him anyway!
If i hadnt spent weeks deciphering Molly Blooms soliloquy i would have struggled to read that thank god i learned joycean techniques before contemplating the journal it helps no end in my understanding of the topics being discussed
Reg , But Joe isn’t just any old eejit.
I have a sign over my letterbox that clearly states This is Not a Receptacle for Used Car Parts. To date I have not found one car part in it.
Its not junk mail, it is important voter information.
Do you accept new car parts in your box ?
Howya John.
You’ll be getting my NO 1 vote again this year.
Thanks for the great service since you were elected.
Is there anything that these people actually pay for themselves?
Was expecting something more from the headline. 30 envelopes… I am more inclined to think it was an error on his Secretary’s part with so few envelopes. The headline kind of implies he racked up something more than 20 Euro
They are well learning all the same. Doesn’t seem to matter who they are its all take, take an lone there pockets great little country.
Politicians are scheming baastards they manage to get around everything such as this and the election posters that are NOT election posters.
Ya gotta love these clowns they try anything and when caught they say they will pay it back ..thing is they are paying back with Your Money..so it’s a win win
Another do as I say not as I do , buoyo, what a shower..
Call the Gardai. If he stole from a shop he would be treated like a thief.
Nobody cares about this, it’s such a small amount sure it will be grand!
Kevin Humphreys does it consistently. I’ve emailed him and requested he not do it, his answer is, as there are many apartments in his constituency that he cannot access…
NO EXCUSE!!!
scandalous!!! call the fraud scuad
A labour senator in Galway East did the same last week. Public Meeting indeed.
Have any of ye pro FG\Labour red thumbers got a call offering you a job trolling on their behalf via Jobsbridge? Expect mighty support for the government here until at least after the election. No more voluntary trolling, they will be getting an extra € 50 a week for while.
Brendan Griffin Fg Td in Kerry sent thousands of electrical literature out in Oireachtas envelopes two weeks ago, some cheek
A mistake, only because he was caught.
I don’t like Halligan or any of the crusties but you’d swear he killed someone.
It was a very minor offence and he’s repaid it. Can we have some perspective please?
so the invitations where not deliberately put into the envelopes and deliberately posted, they all all the same like the ink cartridge lad who didn’t deliberately take them.
Ooooooooooooooooooooo…. lol.
F#ck me thought it was Peter Sellers
Got one today from a sitting f/g to in the same constituce what the difference
have your say