Politicians claim back over €35k on top-of-the-range phones and tech accessories

One device was bought from a retailer in Ho Chi Minh City, according to invoices released under the Freedom of Information Act

One of the priciest purchases was the €1,619 that was paid by Fianna Fáil’s John McGuinness for an iPhone 15 Pro with a whopping 512 gigabytes of memory. The phone was bought from the Harvey Norman chain with Mr McGuinness’ claim capped at €750 under the terms of the Oireachtas allowance. File photo: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

TDs and Senators have been able to claim back more than €35,000 in expenses for the purchase of high-end mobile phones, earbuds, and tech accessories over the past year-and-a-half.

The Houses of the Oireachtas said a total of €35,153 had been spent on the allowance, which allows politicians to claim up to €750 against the cost of a new device every 18 months. Copies of invoices show that of the 54 claim forms submitted since the beginning of 2023, 27 were for the full allowance.