If Daniel Callanan is serious in his belief that the expenses system for councillors should be abolished he will refuse to accept the Galway City Council’s gratuity payment.
This is the view of the Mayor of Galway Cllr Pádraig Conneely. He has challenged former councillor Daniel Callanan not to accept the €17,000 gratuity payment defeated councillors are entitled to by the Galway City Council.
Mr Callanan served on the Galway City Council from 2004 to 2009. He was defeated in last week’s Local Elections, where he ran in Galway City West. As such he is entitled to €3,400 for each year he served in City Hall, which would amount to €17,000.
However last week, Mr Callanan published details of the expenses incurred by councillors over the last five years and publicly called for the council’s expenses system to be abolished. Mayor Conneely is now calling on Mr Callanan to “practice what he preaches” regarding council expenses, by refusing to accept the gratuity payment.
