Politicians have €70k deducted from their pay over unpaid Dáil bar bills

The Oireachtas was forced to introduce the policy to take unpaid bar and restaurant debts from TDs' and senators' salaries due to the level of unpaid bills. 

Politicians who racked up more than €70,000 in unpaid debts in the Dáil bar and restaurant have had the money deducted from their salaries, the Irish Examiner can reveal.

A total of 85 TDs and senators were responsible for the €70k debt last year after failing to pay their food and drink bills in Leinster House.

Data released to the Irish Examiner through Freedom of Information show that, up until the end of October, a total of €70,775.56 had to be deducted from the salaries of TDs and senators for unpaid food and drink. The politicians responsible were not named in the FoI.

In 2018, the Oireachtas was forced to introduce a policy where politicians who fail to pay their tabs in either the Dáil bar or restaurant instead have it automatically deducted from their salaries.

Prior to this, unpaid bills had to be rewritten off when it became clear there was no chance of the monies being recouped.

Under current rules, money is deducted from politicians’ pay when unpaid bills become “aged debts” — meaning debts that are more than two months old.

By the end of October, a total of €12,307.10 in food and drink bills remained outstanding, with 54 TDs owing a collective €8,266.45 while 20 senators owed €4,080.65.

One TD had an outstanding debt of €936.45, while one senator was yet to repay €882.80.