Separate Dáil controversies put Galway TDs in spotlight
A Galway TD frequently missed votes in Dáil Éireann on days he had clocked-in and claimed expenses. The revelation comes as another Galway TD became embroiled in the Dáil voting controversy.
Galway West TD, Noel Grealish, has been named among a cohort of deputies who recorded their attendance in Leinster House, which they must do to claim travel and accommodation expenses, on days when there are votes in the Dáil, but they did not take part in those votes.
The RTÉ Investigates unit analysed TDs’ official attendance and voting records published by the Houses of the Oireachtas and reconciled the attendance-days released under the Freedom of Information Act. In order to claim the TAA (Travel and Accommodation Allowance) scheme, TDs must record their attendance in the Dáil.
According to the analysis by RTÉ, Independent Deputy Grealish was recorded as being present on 66 days in which he missed all the votes, between March 2016 and July 2019. He had signed in for 145 voting days in total during that period, meaning he missed the full day’s votes 45.5% of the time. RTÉ found that between March 2016 and the end of 2018, Deputy Grealish claimed €87,000 in TAA expenses.
Deputy Grealish, in a statement to Galway City Tribune, said he had a pairing arrangement with Fine Gael, which facilitates Ministers to be absent from votes to conduct Government business.
“In previous Dáil terms, the main opposition party provided pairs for the Government to enable them to carry out official duties. As part of the current Dáil, Fianna Fáil are in a confidence and supply situation and cannot provide pairs. I provide pairs when asked by Ministers to enable them to carry out crucial Brexit negotiations and EU business,” he said.
Pairing is an arrangement where a TD from one party agrees with a TD of an opposing party not to vote in a particular division, giving both TDs the opportunity to be elsewhere. Deputy Grealish was fourth in the list of TDs who recorded attendance but missed votes and he followed Kerry brothers Michael Healy-Rae and Danny Healy-Rae, and former Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
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