The Mire has learned that many of the country’s best known journalists have been receiving counselling as they struggle to come to terms with the notion that unvouched expenses could possibly be seen in a negative light.
Recent scandals about expenses involving Fas and Ceann Comhairle John O’Donoghue have forced journalists to reflect on their own behaviour. The results have been devastating for their confidence and self-belief.
“To be fair to their employers, they quickly realised how traumatised their staff were and have fully funded extensive counselling services,” a psychologist working with media clients said. “Take up was slow at first as they wanted to make sure they received full entitlements while being treated but we are inundated now.”
“Really we are seeing people who have been shaken to the core. Journalists, you must remember, are an unquestioning breed. They lead sheltered lives and are not used to experiencing reflection or self-doubt.”
The psychologist said that many media clients actually thought their salaries were a perk and they were supposed to live on expenses. “Several clients who have been working in the media for 20 to 30 years have yet to cash a paycheque,” he said. “They think of their salaries as employer-funded savings schemes.”
“Quite a few others were routinely paid half their salaries in unvouched expenses over the years. And then they have a variety of allowances, which they refer to as entitlements. This is all part of their culture and we must be careful not to denude them of it. Some of them may never recover,” he said.
The psychologist said several clients were further shocked to discover that places like Coalisland in Co Tyrone were not, in fact, islands. This despite the fact that they often claimed the expense of chartering private ferries to get to Coalisland. “This just demonstrates the level of naivety we are dealing with here,” he said. “These poor journalists have clearly been misused by unscrupulous ferry owners.”
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