Beverley Flynn is never far from the headlines and this week has been another tumultuous one in the Castlebar politician’s career.
But after days of public lashings and non-stop media attention she has decided to give up her €41,000 independent TD’s tax free allowance. The Castlebar deputy had come under increasing pressure from the public and opposition TDs, and disquiet had been expressed by Green Party leader John Gormley as well as Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Éamon Ó Cuív this week.
In announcing her decision she said she was deeply hurt by some of the media comments that portrayed her as being dishonest when it emerged that she was claiming the allowance. Dep Flynn added that the allowance was used to benefit her constituents.
She told the Mayo Advertiser: “I was upset by the coverage. I felt I was victimised but I am happy it is now over.” Beverley pointed out she turned down a Dáil committee vice chairmanship which would have earned her €15,000 tax free allowance, proving she is not in politics to make money.
She also added that it was ironic that out of the 166 TDs in Ireland she is now the only one who is not in receipt of this allowance or on whose behalf it won’t be paid.
Speaking on Midwest radio on Wednesday morning, Dep Flynn said: “When I mentioned this issue to the Taoiseach I said I was obviously anxious and happy that the regulations would be changed to reflect the correct status of every TD in the Dáil. The Taoiseach has given me to believe that that will actually happen and in the light of that indication from the Taoiseach it is my intention to immediately write to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission to rescind the payment on my own behalf.”
Calls have been made by TDs across the country to have the legislation changed with Westport Fine Gael Deputy Michael Ring being very vocal on the issue and Finance Minister Brian Lenihan has been asked to bring forward proposals on the matter.
Allowances are given for all TDs elected, but in the case of TDs attached to a party, the party draws down the money on a monthly basis.
In this latest controversy, Beverley Flynn was within her right to continue receiving and spending the €41,000. She pointed out that after she was expelled from Fianna Fáil in 2004 she did not receive the allowance until the next General Election in 2007 where she was re-elected as an independent.
From then until April of last year, just less than a year, Dep Flynn remained as an independent until she rejoined the Fianna Fáil party.
Another TD who was elected as an Independent and who then subsequently joined a political party was Dr Liam Twomey in Wexford (he joined Fine Gael and quickly became one of Enda Kenny’s front benchers before losing his seat in 2007. He was then elected to Seanad Éireann ). Dep Twomey did offer to give up the allowance to Fine Gael during negotiations with the party before he joined the party in October 2004. Fine Gael said the party eventually decided that as Mr Twomey was elected as an independent and did not have a political operation, the allowance should be spent on improving his operation. Sources close to Ms Flynn have now asked are Fine Gael going to repay the allowance which Dr Twomey benefited from.
What exacerbated Dep Flynn’s case was the fact that the country has entered an economic crisis where job losses, pay cuts, emigration, and lengthening dole queues are the norm while she was seen to be accepting a tax-free allowance far above the average industrial wage on top of her TD’s salary and additional expenses. Dep Flynn said she had spent the money on upgrading services in her Castlebar office and on other expenses.
In announcing her decision to give up the allowance with immediate affect last Wednesday, Dep Flynn said there were far more pressing issues to be discussed at this time and she made her decision, not because she was not in compliance with regulations, but because it had developed into a controversy.
Beverley Flynn’s estimated annual income of €200,000 (basic salary of €107,000 plus expenses ) will now be reduced to €160,000 and regardless of what her income is she will spend the rest of her working life repaying the €1.3 million legal bill she incurred from her failed libel action against RTÉ.
