€600k paid to councillors during 2009

Almost €600,000 was paid to Offaly's county councillors during 2009, the council's annual report has revealed. A total of €369,977.40 was given in representational payments to the 27 councillors who served during 2009. (There are 23 councillors on the local authority, but as 2009 was an election year, a number of extra councillors served during the calendar year). The representational payment is effectively a salary for councillors. Another €104,204.02 was allocated in annual allowances to the members. This tax-free allowance is designed to meet travel, subsistence and other expenses incurred in the performance of the members' functions and duties within the functional area of the local authority Six members received allowances for their roles as chairpersons of the council's strategic policy committees, involving a total of 23,600. Expenses, including conferences, fees, travel and accommodation, totalled another €59,350.71. Two members served as cathaoirleach during the year and received between them a total of €28,480.41, while Cllr Barry Cowen received €3,192.12 in foreign travel expenses, arising from his role as chairman and his visit to the St Patrick's Day Parade in New York. That comes to a total of €588,804.66 As chairman for a large part of 2009, Cllr Cowen received the highest payments, at €42,128.83, with the other chairman during the year, Cllr Noel Bourke, coming in second, with total payments of €41,995.61