Politicians chastised for misuse of €2.7m postal privileges

OIREACHTAS politicians have been chastised for passing on their €2.7 million worth of postage privileges to local election candidates.

The Standards in Public Office (SIPO) wrote to the Oireachtas and said because envelopes were no longer barcoded, politicians must ensure they are only used for legitimate purposes.

It said it was completely inappropriate for TDs and senators to allow party colleagues running for election to use the free-post entitlements given to elected representatives.

Each month, an average of 1,750 envelopes are posted for free by each member of the Oireachtas, at a cost of €2.7m every year.

SIPO said the service was for public information purposes and not party-political electioneering.

“Oireachtas facilities such as free pre-paid envelopes are provided at public expense to assist members in the performance of their functions as public representatives, and the relevant codes of conduct require that such resources are used only for the purpose for which they are granted.

“SIPO is disappointed to note that, [despite] previous correspondence with office holders and with the committees on members’ interests of Dáil Éireann and of Seanad Éireann, it continues to receive enquiries from concerned members of the public about this inappropriate use of Oireachtas facilities by persons who are not members of the Oireachtas,” it said.

The passing off of Oireachtas envelopes and other materials has been a regular offence, especially at election time.

SIPO issued a similar warning in 2004 when local authority candidates were discovered using stationery and posting privileges enjoyed by the country’s deputies and senators.

In the meantime, the Dáil committee on members’ interests recommended all envelopes be stamped with a barcode so misuse can be traced back to the offending politician.

However, when the corresponding committee in the Seanad did not back the move, the Dáil committee decided not to include barcodes on envelopes anymore. As a result, abuses will again be untraceable.

A SIPO spokesman said without barcodes a complaint could still be taken to the committee if ministers or ministers of state were abusing public resources and this could be proved.

Ceann Comhairle John O’Donoghue last night said the Oireachtas commission would review SIPO’s statement at its next meeting.