Politicians might be paying too little for their pints, wine and spirits in Leinster House, it has emerged after an audit which found that the profit margins in the Dáil bar are too low, writes Liam Reid, Political Reporter.
The audit, by the Comptroller and Auditor General's office, also found that TDs and senators were not being chased up quickly enough to pay off their bar tabs.
The comptroller's concerns were outlined in a standard report called a management letter sent to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, which controls the annual €100 million budget for running the Dáil and Seanad.
The letter raised a number of small items concerning the running of the Houses of the Oireachtas, and its bars and restaurants, which were in the main found to be well run with good financial controls.
There are four bars and restaurants in operation in Leinster House, including a visitors' bar, members' bar, public self-service restaurant and members' restaurant. The self-service and visitors' bars are also open to staff and political journalists based in Leinster House.
According to minutes of the commission's audit committee meeting in February, the management letter raised the concerns about "a drop in gross margin and the poor return of wine/spirit sales" in the bar and restaurant facilities.
Indeed, TDs, senators and those working in Leinster House, including political journalists, enjoy one of the best value pints in Dublin. A pint of Guinness costs €3.70 in the Dáil visitors' bar, 50c cheaper than a pint across the road in Buswell's Hotel.
However, members of the audit committee dismissed any suggestion that the prices should be increased.
Independent senator Joe O'Toole said there could be "no move to increase profit by increasing margins at the expense of TDs and staff", the minutes state.
The audit committee was also told that the comptroller had raised the issue of "collection of debtors" in relation to the bars and restaurants. The only debtors are TDs and senators who are afforded the facility of a "tab".
The system is considerably useful for TDs and senators, many of whom entertain large groups of constituents when the Houses of the Oireachtas are in session.
However the minutes stress the issue did not relate to "bad debts" but rather to "slow collection".