Taxpayers pay €2m for aides to ministers

TAXPAYERS are footing a bill of €2m a year for more than 100 civil servants who work exclusively on constituency issues for Government ministers.

However, general election spending rules mean routine constituency work carried out by these officials does not have to be included in a minister’s spending limits.

The Green Party yesterday said the rules gave an unfair advantage to ministers and called for the spending guidelines to be changed.