Politicians’ expenses hit the €6m mark

TDs and Senators clamed almost €6 million in tax-free expenses during the first half of this year.

Almost half of all deputies in the Dáil, for the six months from

January to June, claimed sums greater than the average annual industrial wage

The 166 TDs claimed a total of €4,531,266.40 in the six-month period in which the Dáil only sat for 52 days.

Junior Minister in the Department of Health, John Maloney (Fianna Fáil) topped the list claiming €51,030.33 for the half-year while former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern (FF) had the lowest claim at €2,194.23.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny claimed the exact same sum of €9,819.99. Labour leader Eamon Gilmore claimed €16,171.

The figures, released to Cork’s Evening Echo newspaper under Freedom of Information legislation, show senior Government ministers have among the lowest expenses bill.

Tánaiste, Mary Coughlan, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Éamon Ó’ Cuív and Martin Cullen have all claimed an equal sum of €14,254.07. Ministers living closer to Dublin including Europe Minister, Dick Roche, Health Minister Mary Harney and Justice Minister Brian Lenihan claimed €9,819.00 each.

TD’s daily allowance is €61.53 and overnight allowance while the Dáil is sitting is €139.67.

Their allowance to cover travel between the Dáil and the constituency is a non-taxable annual payment of between €2,745 to €8,782. They get a mileage allowance of €1.16 a mile.

As well as a secretarial allowance, TDs can get a once-off payment worth €8,888 to set up a constituency office and an annual payment worth €8,888 to fund it. They also get a miscellaneous allowance worth €5,482.

The figures show the total bill for the Seanad, which sat for 48 days in the first half of the year, was €1,302,243.20.

Fine Gael Senator, Paddy Burke, topped the list with €41,326.01 — almost ten times that of Independent Joe O’Toole who had the lowest claim of all 60 members at €4,437.08.

The Taoiseach’s nomination to the house, former TD Ivor Callely (FF) claimed €14,429.91 while PD leader Senator Ciarán Cannon claimed €18,061.22 and his rival in the leadership contest, Fiona O’Malley claimed €14,221.07.