MINISTER for Finance Brian Lenihan has signed the regulations for the new expense allowance regime for TDs and Senators, which comes into effect on Monday. The Oireachtas (Allowances and Facilities) Regulations 2010 are expected to be laid before the Dáil and Seanad early next week and are being introduced after controversy about the level of expenses and allowances claimed by parliamentarians.
After discussions lasting 12 months, the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission agreed the new reforms and the Minister accepted their proposals. Some TDs, particularly some of those living long distances from Leinster House, have been in discussion with Mr Lenihan about further changes, since he first announced the revised system two weeks ago.
But the Minister signed the regulations, unchanged, on Thursday night. The most resisted aspects of the regime are the obligations to clock in every day and to attend 80 per cent or 120 of the total 150 days to receive full allowances. Some TDs opposed both but the Minister was adamant.
Chairman of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party John Browne, a member of the commission, welcomed the new regime and said “90 per cent of TDs” accepted it.
He said it “is to be reviewed after a year and any anomalies will be ironed out”. He added that “most TDs are taking a loss and no one is happy losing money, but it is a more transparent system”.
Previous stipends will be replaced by two payments, one for travel and accommodation and a “public representative allowance” for constituency office costs.
The travel and accommodation allowance will range from €12,000 a year for Dublin TDs to €37,850 for those living 360km or more from Leinster House. The second allowance will allow TDs to receive an unvouched amount of €15,000 per annum or a fully vouched amount of €25,700. This is for constituency office costs.
Senators will receive a reduced annual amount varying from €7,000 for Dublin-based Senators to €32,850 for those 360km or more from Leinster House.
