A NEW system of allowances and expenses for TDs and Senators was last night adopted by the body that runs Leinster House at the suggestion of Ceann Comhairle John O’Donoghue.
In his capacity as chairman of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, Mr O’Donoghue brought forward what he described as a comprehensive proposal to his commission colleagues to bring greater transparency and accountability to the way members of the Houses of the Oireachtas receive expenses and allowances.
Among the changes agreed are a standard all-in monthly parliamentary allowance on a cost-neutral basis that would make the system more simple and streamlined for members and more verifiable and accountable from a public perspective.
The changes will also involve the introduction, for the first time, of attendance recording and deductions for non-attendance. The new system will involve the party whips playing a key role in the verification process.
At present there is no system of recording whether or not TDs and Senators attend either House or committee meetings for which they are paid an allowance.
“This is a significant action. It represents a real break with long-standing tradition and is a clear demonstration of how members of the Oireachtas are not only transparent and accountable, but will now be seen to be to a greater degree,” said Mr O’Donoghue.
“I am pleased that my commission colleagues have adopted this progressive and important step.”
He said that the proposed modifications were part of continuing efforts by the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission to modernise the current system of expenses.
The commission’s recommendations will now be forwarded to the Minister for Finance who, ultimately, will make the final decision on this proposal.
The Houses commission has already committed to make savings of at least €20 million from its budget by the end of 2009.
Fine Gael proposed recently that the current system of non-vouched allowances and travel expenses should be scrapped and replaced by a system of vouched expenses similar to that that operates in the private sector.
The new system adopted by the commission does not go as far as that but it is designed to bring more transparency into the operation of Oireachtas expenses.
