Taxpayer faces €1.6m dual mandate bill

THE taxpayer will pay TDs and senators hundreds of thousands of euro to hand their council seats over to family members.

By giving up their seats before the end of next month, Oireachtas members will be entitled to a golden handshake of almost €13,000 each.

Already, 16 TDs and senators have handed over their city and county council seats to sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and wives under the abolition of the dual mandate.