Absent MEPs’ expenses - No show, no pay

Rather than be upset that members of the European Parliament might have their expenses cut by anything up to 50% because of poor attendance records, most people will wonder why they get any at all if they do not turn up for work.

MEPs get a daily subsistence allowance of €304 on top of a monthly stipend of €4,299 for “general expenditure” which includes office management costs but MEPs’ staff costs are paid separately. This supplements an annual salary of around €95,000.

Any MEP who does not take part in more than half of the votes in the plenary session is subject to a 50% cut to their daily subsistence allowance for that period.

These terms are generous, far more so than those offered to the great majority of people, and the fact that MEPs will be paid something despite their absences deepens the rift between the rulers and those they rule.

Indeed, the penalty should be more than monetary.

Any MEP who does not attend, say, 75% of the parliament’s sessions should be precluded from running for a set in the parliament again.

A similar national rule might help rejuvenate our Dáil too.