Cost of running Oireachtas doubles since 2004

THE cost of the day- to-day running of the Oireachtas has more than doubled since 2004 while the number of civil servants has increased by more than a third.

According to figures contained in the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission’s submission on cost savings presented to An Bord Snip in April, the cost of administration in the Oireachtas has ballooned from €26.3 million in 2004 to an estimated €59.5m this year.

More than €26m of this estimate was for salaries, wages and allowances in respect of staff.