The average TD and senator is losing money according to an analysis of the cost of being a member of the Dail and Seanad. The cost figures were released by the Oireachtas Public Relations Office ahead of the publication for the first time this weekend of the expenses claimed by individual TDs and senators.
The expenses information, which is only being published after a ruling by the Information Commissioner, Mr Kevin Murphy, will reveal the amount each member claimed for items such as mileage, telephone calls and the operation of constituency offices.
The original request for the expenses details was made under the Freedom of Information Act by the Sunday Tribune. The information will be published in this weekend's edition. The document on the cost of being a Dail deputy contains figures which indicate that rural TDs who have an office in their constituency are the biggest losers. These deputies on average claimed just over £51,000 in allowances and expenses last year. The document estimates, however, that the annual cost to these TDs was almost £62,000.
Deputies elected for non-Dublin constituencies who have an office in Leinster House are estimated to be out of pocket by some £9,000.
TDs representing constituencies in the capital fare better. Those with an office in their Dublin constituency are estimated to have lost approximately £4,000 last year while those with an office in Leinster House are estimate to have costs in excess of their claimed expenses of about £5,000.
Running a motor car is estimated to cost a non-Dublin TD almost £7,000 a year. They are also said to spend £95 a night on rented accommodation while in Dublin on Oireachtas business.
The public relations officer for the Oireachtas, Ms Verona Ni Bhroinn, said the legitimate expenses of TDs and senators "have become an easy target for adverse speculation".
She said their document indicated that "no profit ensues to members from their expenses and disabuses any notion that expenses surreptitiously enhance salary".
Last year TDs claimed more than £4 million in expenses. In all, 51 claimed expenses in excess of £30,000 with one receiving more than £44,000.
One rural TD, Mr P.J. Sheehan, last night defended the expense entitlements of Oireachtas members. The Fine Gael deputy for Cork South West told The Irish Times that TDs "should be looking for an increase in expenses as we're often out of pocket".
Mr Sheehan, whose home is 240 miles from Dublin, said he was "the TD who is furthest distance away from Dail Eireann and the nearest to the White House".