Zonal solution to TDs expenses

I sympathise with the views expressed by John Lyons (Letters, Apr 30) but the fact is there is a simple system for dealing with TDs expenses which requires no vouchers or receipts, no monitoring by civil servants and is absolutely foolproof. It is called zoning.

Under this system all backbench TDs get the exact same fixed annual figure for secretarial expenses, but travelling expenses would be fixed based on distance from Dublin. The geometric centre of the constituency would determine what zone the TD fell into and he/she would get the travel expense set for that zone. It would matter not where the TD chose to live or whether he/she chose to travel to Leinster House by skateboard! The set travel expense rate would be paid monthly in 12 equal parts.

There is only one snag. No way on earth will Brendan Howlin, or anyone else in the Oireachtas, go for such a system unless we, the electorate, make it an election issue starting with the local elections.