NON-MINISTERIAL MOTIONS. - PAYMENTS TO DEPUTIES.
J.J. WALSH (Cork City) moved:
"That an allowance of £250 per annum be given to each Member of An Dáil not holding an Executive appointment, so that he may be able properly and efficiently to discharge his duties."
The expenses incurred by the Deputies in connection with their work were very heavy, and this allowance would be in the nature of a Grant to cover those expenses rather than in the nature of a salary.
D. KENT (Cork, East) seconded the motion.
J. MACENTEE (Monaghan, South) supported the motion. It was necessary that the Deputies should in ordinary circumstances give most of their time to the work of the Dáil.
J. MACGUINNESS (Longford) proposed that the question be postponed for twelve months. Certain individual cases could be considered by the Ministry.
J. MACBRIDE (Mayo, West) seconded the amendment.
CATHAL BRUGHA (Waterford County) was in favour of the creation of a fund to help those Members who had been victimised owing to their position.
J. MACDONAGH (Tipperary, North) suggested that Deputies who incur out-of-pocket expenses in connection with work in their constituencies should be recouped by the Dáil on application.
After further discussion the amendment with this addition was put and declared carried by 20 votes for to 13 against.
The amendment thus became a substantive motion.
The SECRETARY FOR FINANCE moved as a further amendment:
"That a Deputies' Expenses' Fund be established, out of which each month, on application, any Member requiring same may be paid one-twelfth of the sum of £250. The existing regulations regarding claims for expenses for special journeys to remain unaltered."
D. KENT (Cork, East) seconded the amendment.
The ACTING PRESIDENT and J.J. WALSH (Cork City) thought this suggestion would meet the case.
All the other proposals having been withdrawn in favour of the motion of the Secretary for Finance, it was put and agreed to.