asked the Minister for Finance whether he has received complaints respecting delays in paying the fees to the Presiding Officers at the recent Seanad Election; and whether the Presiding Officers have been informed of the conditions that must be complied with before they may be paid.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - SEANAD ELECTION—PRESIDING OFFICERS' FEES.
TOMAS MAC EOIN
The payment of Presiding Officers is a matter for the Constituency Returning Officers, who are supplied by me, on demand, with sufficient money to enable them to meet fees and other expenses which are fixed by scale. The matter referred to by the Deputy is thus one primarily between a Presiding Officer and a Constituency Returning Officer, and no complaint, as distinct from an inquiry, has been received by me.
The Minister for Local Government, in the instructions which he issued to Presiding Officers, informed them that the fee allowed is £3, but that it would not be paid if the duties were not satisfactorily carried out.
Has the Minister been made aware that there have been numerous complaints about delay in respect to expenses incurred during the Seanad Elections, just as was the case in connection with previous General Elections?
I know a number of complaints always arise, and it is sometimes difficult to fix the responsibility as between the Presiding Officers themselves and the Constituency Returning Officers. I do not know that there have been more complaints than are usual after an election.
Is the Minister in a position to say how many claims from constituencies are still outstanding?
I could not give that information without notice.