FIANNA FÁIL TDs are to meet Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan in a wave of fury over plans to change expense rules and demands that they sign a daily attendance record.
Under legislation debated by the Dáil yesterday, Mr Lenihan will have powers to pay a monthly lump sum to TDs to cover all of their travel and overnight costs, along with money to run constituency offices.
The plan was drafted over recent months by the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, led by Ceann Comhairle John O’Donoghue, following consultation with TDs.
However, Fianna Fáil TDs only learned about the plans for a monthly expenses payment and a clocking-in system at this week’s parliamentary party meeting when it was raised by Cork North Central TD Noel O’Flynn.
Besides Seanad cathaoirleach Senator Pat Moylan, Fianna Fáil has a number of representatives on the commission: TDs Michael Mulcahy and Séamus Kirk and Senators Jim Walsh and Cecilia Keaveney.
However, members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party were privately sharply critical of the expenses plan yesterday and, they claim, a lack of information on the matter from their representatives.
Groups of Fianna Fáil TDs – some of whom have become noticeably more pointed in their private criticisms of the leadership of Taoiseach Brian Cowen – held a number of informal meetings about the plans last night.
While Ministers and Ministers of State have accepted pay cuts of 10 per cent, TDs and senators have felt a 10 per cent expenses cut and a 25 per cent cut in mileage, along the abolition of some paid committee posts.
Under the legislation, Mr Lenihan will enjoy powers to bring the new expenses rules into place when he so decides, but he is not required to do so. He will meet concerned Fianna Fáil deputies at noon today in Leinster House. “They’ll want to fingerprint us next,” one Fianna Fáil TD said.
Under current rules, TDs receive €8,800 a year to pay for a constituency office, but some deputies in urban areas are paying more than €20,000, they complain.
The clocking-in plan has infuriated many.
“We are members of parliament, not some factory workers,” one complained to The Irish Times last night. “People could be called away for all sorts of valid reasons.”