Oireachtas Allowances

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 July 2012

Wednesday, 4 July 2012

Questions (21)

Brian Stanley

Question:

20 Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide, in a tabular form, the annual saving to the public sector pay bill if all committee chair remuneration, commission member remuneration, Government Whip allowance remuneration, assistant Government Whip allowance remuneration, Whip to the Opposition parties remuneration, assistant Whip to the Opposition parties remuneration, Leader of the House, Seanad, allowance remuneration, deputy Leader of the House Seanad allowance remuneration, Opposition leader of the House Seanad remuneration, Government Whip Seanad remuneration, assistant Government Whip Seanad remuneration; and Leader of the Independent group Seanad remuneration were all withdrawn. [32375/12]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

There are a number of legislative provisions governing the payment of the allowances listed by the Deputy. Details of allowances payable in the categories specified by the Deputy, are set out in the table below. The cost if all such remuneration is claimed is estimated at €375,000. However, this figure does not take account of any individual arrangements whereby the allowance or portion thereof may be waived. In addition, section 6(2) of Oireachtas (Allowances to Members), Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices Act, 1998, states if a Member is eligible during any period to receive more than one of the allowances provided for in Section 3, 4 and 5 of the Act, only the higher or highest of those allowances shall be paid or payable to the member during that period. In relation to allowances payable to Chairpersons of Committees, the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members), Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices Act, 1998, in circumstances where a Chairperson is Chairperson of more than one Committee, they are only eligible to be paid one allowance.

Title of Allowance	Allowance €
Fianna Fáil Party Whip	19,000
People before Profit Whip	6,000
Sinn Féin Party Whip	6,000
Socialist Party Whip	6,000
Assistant Government Whip	15,000
Fianna Fáil Party Assistant Whip	9,500
Fine Gael Party Assistant Whip	7,500
Labour Party Assistant Whip	6,000
Sinn Féin Party Assistant Whip	3,000
Deputy Leader of the House in Seanad Éireann	9,500
Government Whip in Seanad Éireann	6,000
Assistant Government Whip in Seanad Éireann	4,000
Fianna Fáil Leader in Seanad Éireann	9,500
Independent Group of Nominee Senators’ Leader in Seanad Éireann	6,000
Independent Group of University Senators’ Leader in Seanad Éireann	6,000
Fianna Fáil Whip in Seanad Éireann	6,000
Independent Group of Nominee Senators’ Whip in Seanad Éireann	4,000
Independent Group of University Senators’ Whip in Seanad Éireann	4,000
Members of the Oireachtas Commission	9,500
Chairpersons of Committees	9,500
Chairperson of Committee	3,100

Question No. 21 answered with Question No. 18.