‘Reformed’ expenses are really a second salary

DESMOND Fitzgerald (Letters, December 28) does not understand the “reformed” system of expenses for our politicians introduced in March 2010.

Our hard-working politicians no longer have to claim expenses. Round figure allowances have been set (by the politicians) for travel and subsistence and for general expenses (newsletters etc) and these amounts are paid automatically tax-free each month with their salaries.

This is why the Houses of the Oireachtas website which lists the monthly expenses paid to our politicians shows in many cases the same amounts, and also shows payments for travel when the Dáil is not sitting.