Doherty may be forced to repay €8k expenses

Sinn Féin finance spokesman Pearse Doherty could be forced to pay back €8,000 to the Oireachtas after being told it is “not appropriate” to use surplus mileage claims to fund a new car.

The Oireachtas has reminded all members of the rules around expense claims after Mr Doherty said he was using a €15,000 invoice from a car he bought last year to retrospectively justify keeping surplus expense claims.

The Donegal TD spent €24,000 of the €33,000 he received for travel and accommodation expenses last year. He repaid €845 to the Oireachtas, leaving a surplus of €8,000.