Taxpayers pay €750k for politicians’ security

MORE than €750,000 has been spent on security measures at the private homes and constituency offices of six politicians since 2006.

It has emerged that the Office of Public Works oversaw expenditure of €765,495 on the private property of six unknown, senior politicians between 2006 and 2009.

Details of the spending on security measures were released to a transparency advocacy group, known as The Story, under Freedom of Information law. The information was only released following the intervention of Information Commissioner Emily O’Reilly after the OPW refused the original FOI request and also rejected a subsequent internal appeal on security grounds.