Cllrs learn how to canvass – on expenses

Learning is earning for councillors who are claiming expenses for attending a conference that gave advice on how to get re-elected – paid for by the taxpayer.

Two of the city’s elected members – including one who might be considered a pro at canvassing – attended a ‘canvassing tips’ conference, which was held in Dublin over the weekend.

One section of the €95-a-pop seminar, spread over three days, taught politicians the definition of an election poster and the rules about poster littering.

Galway City Council has confirmed that two Fianna Fáil brothers, City Councillors Mike and Ollie Crowe registered for the ‘Canvassing Tips 2014’ conference held at Bewley’s Hotel on the Naas Road, Dublin.

The conference was for three days including registration from 6pm on Friday, January 6 but the actual ‘teaching hours’, with two guest speakers, lasted just three hours over the weekend, according to the schedule.

It is understood that as well as the two Galway City Councillors, about 20 other politicians from around the country attended.

Including the course fee, which goes to the organisers, and mileage and subsistence expenses, which goes to the attendee, the cost to the taxpayer of this conference per delegate, would be several hundred Euros.

Cllr Mike Crowe, a former city mayor, has contested and canvassed in several elections over the past decade. He told the Galway City Tribune he found the canvassing tips conference ‘useful’, especially the section on social media.

Cllr Ollie Crowe, a relative novice on the election hustings, who was elected for the first time in 2009, also said it was worthwhile – however, he said he would prefer to spend conference monies locally on constituents but the rules preclude that.

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.