30 TDs and senators claim average of €7k each to upgrade security

The Oireachtas members claimed back €210,000 in the last year for items such as intruder alarms, CCTV, panic buttons, and personal monitoring devices

Sandra Barry, aged 40, of Tor an Rí, Balgaddy, Lucan, Co Dublin, was last week sentenced to six months in jail for 'a threatening or grossly offensive communication to Simon Harris with intent to cause harm'. She was released on €200 appeal bail, and her defence said the case would be fully contested before an appeals judge. Picture: Collins Courts

Over €210,000 has been claimed back by 30 TDs and senators to upgrade their personal security in the last year, new documents show.

The funding has been claimed back under the Security Requirements Allowance since the 34th Dáil began in December 2024.

There was an average of €7,024 spent by each of the 30 TDs and senators on upgrading their personal security over the period.

A maximum of €25,000 is available to Oireachtas members, with spends on personal security, home and office security, and security of staff permitted.

The allowance is paid in arrears, after security improvements are made, with TDs and senators eligible to claim back the cost of items such as intruder alarms, CCTV, fixed panic buttons, and personal monitoring devices. 

Funds can only be drawn down on the costs of security requirements if TDs and senators have received advice from a local crime prevention monitor.

The scheme was introduced in 2023 as a response to security concerns for TDs, originally allowing for politicians to claim back 50% of the costs of security upgrades to a maximum of €5,000.

However, this was later raised to €25,000 in 2024.

Concerns about the safety of politicians have come to the fore in recent years, with a number of threats being made against Tánaiste Simon Harris and his family this year.

On Thursday, a woman received a six-month prison sentence for threats against Mr Harris, calling him a “murderer” and adding: “I hope somebody does something to your family”.

Sandra Barry, aged 40, of Tor an Rí, Balgaddy, Lucan, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to charges stating that she sent “a threatening or grossly offensive communication to Simon Harris with intent to cause harm” on August 30.

The Tánaiste admitted that it was “hard to turn up to work following the threats.

“We went through a period of sustained threats, and I’m glad that these issues are taken seriously by the gardaí, glad they’re taken seriously by the courts,” said Mr Harris.

“I think the question is, what's going on when somebody presses send? The consequences of those actions are real and do create dangers.”