Plan to buy tablet devices for TDs and senators would save taxpayers money, insist officials

Giving TDs and Senators free hand-held tablet devices such as iPads will save the taxpayer money, Oireachtas officials claim.

The move has provoked controversy, with Labour’s Eamonn Maloney — the only TD who refuses to take expenses — insisting the 226 Oireachtas members are paid enough to buy their own tablet if they want one.

Mr Maloney has written to Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett condemning the plan to hand the devices — which retail at up to €799 depending on the make — to TDs and Senators for free.

“For people like myself, as members of the present Oireachtas, given the budget we are facing, I think we should be very careful throwing around any public money,” Mr Maloney told RTÉ.

“This is an example of what I believe is a scheme that is wrong, because we are provided with a considerable amount of technology in Leinster House and the last thing that TDs need is to be running around Kildare St with tablet computers under their arms and mobile phones in their pockets.

“I think we have to have some sanity in these things.

“I represent a constituency with 12% unemployment, and where others are on very low pay. When schemes like this come up we really have to think about the people at the moment who are really being pinched as a result of the destruction of the economy.

“We have to be sensitive about these things. Maybe in another time, another day, it would be justifiable, but it’s not now.”

However, Oireachtas head of communications Mark Mulqueen defended the move, insisting it would save money eventually.

“They are trying to wind down a major and historical contract with printers that has been there to provide the papers that go with any parliament — order papers, questions papers, bills, acts, committee documentation, etc — trying to shift from that,” he said.

“It actually comes from a cost-saving measure and it will be cost-saving over time.”

He said the initial outlay will be determined by the number of members that take up the offer.

“The rational was, and is, to save money and to reduce the overall cost of running the national parliament,” said Mr Mulqueen. “This is no different to the Oireachtas having PCs in the building, or any other hardware. It was the same debate at the time PCs were provided. Everything belongs to the Houses of the Oireachtas.”

The Oireachtas claims saving of around €1m a year could be achieved by cutting printing costs, but these would not kick in for three years.