Senators’ expenses not cut, but elderly still suffer

Given recent Government concern about the (alleged) annual cost of running the Seanad, I expected to see action in the budget.

Surely this was the ideal time to cut the senators’ tax free ‘turning up’ money (officially their travel and accommodation allowance)? But no. In its wisdom, the Government decided to save by abolishing the telephone allowance paid to the elderly. Well I suppose they thought if the senators lost their ‘turning up money’ then logically TDs would have to lose theirs.

It’s a lot to lose. For example, TDs in Band I (they live 25 km to 59 km from the Dail) get €25,295 pa tax free to cover their ‘travel’ expenses to work and within their constituency on top of their €87,258 salary.