Seanad rejects plan for receipts to keep track of allowances
The unvouched payment is worth €41,152 a year to independent TDs and €23,383 to independent senators.
Similar payments are made in respect of all Oireachtas members but for most, go towards the central fund of political parties.
The amendment to political funding legislation, which would have required independent Oireachtas members to account for how they spend the money, was defeated by 31 votes to 20 in the Seanad.
It was tabled by a number of independent senators led by Fiach Mac Conghail, who said “taxpayers’ money is exposed” because the payment is not vouched.
He said that since Feb 25, 2011, €656,000 has been paid to independent senators and deputies.
He was supported by fellow independent senator Jillian van Turnhout, who said: “We need to be more accountable to the public on how we choose to spend our allowances. There should be full transparency with regard to how public money is spent.”
Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin voted in favour of the amendment, alongside the four other university senators (John Crown, Seán Barrett, Feargal Quinn and Rónán Mullen) and the Taoiseach’s nominees of Mr Mac Conghail, Ms van Turnhout, Mary Ann O’Brien and Katherine Zappone.
David Norris was the only one of the 11 non-party senators who voted to keep the current arrangements, along with Fine Gael and Labour.
Mr Norris said the “entire political system is skewed against the participation of individuals and independents” and that he would not support putting further restrictions on their funding.
Answering questions in the Seanad, Phil Hogan, the environment minister, said the Government was “actively considering these matters in regard to the income and expenditure of political parties, how these are accounted for and that they be published”.
He said the concerns raised about payments to independents would be considered.
