Fianna Fáil TDs, Senators and MEPs grabbed more brown envelopes donations last year than any other party in the Dáil.

They raked in almost €520,000!

Poor old Enda Kenny’s flock pulled in a mere €130,000 plus.

In order of size of brown envelopes received:

• Fianna Fail - €520,000
• Fianna Gael - €130,000 +
• Labour - €55,000
• Greens - €25,000
• Sinn Féin - €18,000
• PDs - €7,800 (hardly worth their effort!)

The Top Ten Grabbers:

1. Joe Behan TD (FF) - €37,600
2. John McGuinness TD (FF) - €32,500
3. Senator Rónán Mullen (NP) - €32,030
4. Darragh O’Brien TD (FF) - €28,266
5. Seán Connick TD (FF) - €25,500
6. Jackie Healy-Rae TD (NP) - €24,900
7. Christy O’Sullivan TD (FF) - €22,900
8. Micheál Martin TD (FF) - €22,135
9. Áine Brady TD (FF) - €22,000
10. Mattie McGrath TD (FF) - €20,500

I’m confused ….. if the above are earning quite generous salaries ….. why are they out with the begging bowl looking for ‘donations’?

And you can’t tell me that a kick back isn’t required in some form or other …. wink ….wink …. nudge ….nudge …. (indirect payback may yield more dividends for a ‘donator rather than a direct one!)

Come to think of it ….. what does the likes of Jackie Healy Rae need ‘donations’ of €24,000 for?

He has half of the road contracts in Kerry sewn up with his company Healy-Rae Plant Hire and associated fledgeling companies!

I guess he’ll need the additional money to help put fuel into his top of the range Mercedes!

At $117 a barrel poor old Jackie could be feeling the pinch.

He may act the gombeen …. but Jackie Healy Rae (and sons!) is no fool.

We certainly do live in a corrupt society.

…………. and the worst thing of all is that corruption seems to be continually applauded.

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