Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
SEÁN GALLAGHER HAS become the second presidential hopeful to disclose payments he received from sitting on State boards.
The independent candidate held seats on several boards over the last four years including Fás, InterTrade Ireland, the Drogheda Port Company, and several charity organisations.
He was paid €9,000 a year in 2008 and 2009 by InterTrade Ireland, then €8,100 in 2010 and €4,050 so far this year. Gallagher claimed €400 in expenses during 2008, but has not made any further claims since then.
He received €11,000 from Fás last year, but said the entire fee was donated to charity. All Gallagher’s other board positions were unpaid and carried no expenses.
Earlier today Mary Davis disclosed her full P60 tax filings for the three years from 2008, revealing that she earned €183,083.82 from her State board positions.
Fine Gael candidate Gay Mitchell said he intends to release full details of his income, which he said was an MEP’s salary of €98,000.
Seán Gallagher has called on the other candidates to follow him and Davis in releasing their financial documents. He said: “All of the candidates should I believe publish details of all of their expenses as well as fees received for roles on State or Semi-State boards.
“I am being completely transparent about my role in State Boards and the monies I have received for my participation on State Boards as I believe the Office of the President demands it and the Irish people deserve it.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Mary Davis, if she received that much, is part of the problem.
The best man for the job by a country mile.
I fully agree, and I had a dim view of the man until a couple of weeks ago. I had cynically dismissed him as a self serving FF die-hard.
He has massively outshone the others so far. No drama or getting involved in sniping.. and his gesture of asking councils to nominate his rivals speaks volumes. The whole posterless campaign thing is a big plus too. He seems to be the only genuinely independent candidate, and an honestly well meaning man.
I think that’s the only problem with the campaign here. People don’t really know who he is. If they did they’d know he’s the right man.
£11,00O to charity that no one would of knowing about if he did not release this, speaks volume of the man in my opinion, plus taking minimum earnings from sitting on state boards. As I said earlier I reckon he would be better off in Leinster House, but he’s in this race and I think he is the most suitable for the job.
Great your hired we don’t have to pay him and he’s not got any string yet
You just earned my vote
Good man yourself
Good man Sean! Definitely the best candidate for the job.
Gallagher was on the board of FAS and FF National exec. Ask him about his role in the wastage of millions by FAS, not a fecking few quid.
.
And the hits just keep on coming!
For a man of his means, this doesn’t exactly amount to much, E30,150 in 3 and a half years?
E8,600 per year.
Its hardly a gravey train, now is it?
It’s certainly not in the 100,000′s like some.
If this is used as a stick to beat him on Journal.ie, I dispare.
He was also a political adviser to two FF TD’s wasn’t he? Wonder why that source of income was left out…?
Have to admit he’s hitting all the right notes… To be honest he’s a definite candidate for a nod on my ballot paper!!!
As a representative of the people of Ireland, he certainly is a viable option. The smear campaign will come into full swing if he starts to look any more credible, and that will only compound a vote for him in my view.
Fianna Fail in disguise !!!! ..
why does this issue matter anyway, I don’t understand why it does……if they sat on these boards and contributed their professional advice and judgement to issues of importance then their entitled to payment for this service as per their contract I’m sure
Don’t be fooled by dyed in the wool FFers, folks. This guy was going to run for them before christmas!
Especially those who have made their living through selling stuff (themselves included).
Most of us would have the intelligence to say the things Gallagher is saying, in the knowledge that the benefits (for example the positive PR associated with foregoing more than four county councils) outweigh the disadvantages.
Seems the most decent honest one in the race. I will vote for him on this alone
This really isn’t newsworthy at all – journal.ie, I am highly disappointed! We are in the midst of the deepest economic crisis Ireland has ever seen and are electing the country’s president; surely there more important things to talk about than money which has been duly earned by the candidates and fully taxed for that matter!
Gallagher is tainted by his Fianna FAILure connections, it doesn’t really matter what he says or how much he was paid in the past the fact is, he is associated to the disgraced regime who destroyed the country with their greed, cronyism and sheer incompetence. He simply could not be trusted and would give the FF pariahs a man in the Aras, a respectability that would be too much to bear for most people.
Is he our isn’t he still a Fianna Fail candidate
Mr Gallagher sat on the national executive of Fianna Fail while they ravaged this country.
He was director of elections in county Louth in 2007
He was appointed by Fianna Fail on the board of Fas in 2010
Michael Martin took a gamble to run Gallagher as an Independent because he knows he would not go too far under the Fianna Fail name
have your say