Published: Thursday, 31st December, 2009 10:12am

McHugh defends £2,300 claim for Foran tribunal

by Editorial Department

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MLA Gerry McHugh is pictured with former employee Angela Foran.

MLA Gerry McHugh has vigorously defended his expense claim for legal fees to fight a tribunal taken against him by former constituency office employee Angela Foran.

The Independent MLA, who has recently joined Fianna Fail, has also rejected calls to pay the money back. The £2,300 was paid to the MLA was to cover fees of Belfast commercial law firm Elliott, Duffy and Garrett.

It's reported that Ms. Foran's unfair dismissal case was thrown out of an employment tribunal in August when she failed to turn up or send legal Counsel.

Mr. McHugh said that Ms. Foran ceased working in his constituency office on Queen Street in Enniskillen at least a year ago.

"I am just not answering the big media about this. They can go to hell. It doesn't do me any good.

"I didn't ask to be taken to a tribunal. My only defence in relation to the money was that it was an MLA job, it was staff. I do not think I could afford to cover it myself to be honest.

"I spent many, many hours working out the situation to defend myself. That was at my own personal cost," he said.

Responding to calls to pay the money back, he said: "It is one of those expenses I am entitled to claim. I do not feel I owe anyone. It is another expense, just like any Department round the country have experts within their department and they ask consultants in before they take a decision. They spend thousands of pounds. £400 million was spent on consultants last year. Mine is a small amount of money. I have got an allowance that allows for that. It is not like taking money to spend on a holiday. I was taken to court," he said.

Mr. McHugh's expenses were revealed as the latest batch of MLAs expenses and allowances have recently been published, covering April to September this year. In total, £3,775,518 was claimed by our 108 MLAs.

And almost £200,000 (£199,626.44) was claimed by our local six MLAs, excluding mileage costs, over a six month period.

In total over that six month period, Mr. Gerry McHugh claimed £22,582.50. These expenses included £10.34 for drinking water, £3,900 in rent for his Enniskillen office and £315.71 in mobile phone costs. £17.25 was spent with a local window cleaning firm and £12,606.42 was claimed on support staff costs. His mileage for the period was £3,370.

SDLP MLA Tommy Gallagher claimed £30,685.70 over the six month period. Claims included £600.07 for a Dell computer, £454.25 on digital forensic services and £3,767.96 on rates and rent for his Darling Street office in Enniskillen and £1,178.74 on rates and rents for his office in Irish Street, Dungannon. £252.12 was claimed for mobile phone costs and £17,962.97 for support staff costs. Mr. Gallagher's mileage was £4,834.40.

Sinn Fein MLA Michelle Gildernew claimed £36,526.35. Rent and rates for her office, down the street from Tommy Gallagher's in Dungannon, was £8,275.65. The office is listed as being supplied by South Tyrone Sinn Fein. Staff support costs were £26,598.

DUP MLA Arlene Foster claimed a total of £37,236.07. Support staff costs were £23,464.44 and rates and rent on her Lisnaskea and Enniskillen offices was totalled at £10,744.82 over the six month period. £97.75 was spent on the fitting of a security screen and £350 on PR services from a firm called Decisive Consultancy. £120 was claimed for carpet cleaning. Her mobile phone costs were £218.14. Total mileage claimed was £603.60.

UUP MLA Tom Elliott claimed a total of £39,238.96 over the six month period. Rates and rent for two offices in Enniskillen and Dungannon totalled £7,756.72. Secretarial expenses were £6,153.13 and staff support costs were £23,334.87. Mileage claimed was £2,386.40.

DUP MLA Maurice Morrow claimed a total of £33,356.86. Rates and rent for his office in Church street, Dungannon was £6,453.89. He also claimed £133.75 for office mats. His support staff costs were £25,160.36. In addition, mileage claims were £986.40.