Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 March 2014
408. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an individual breakdown of any allowances or payments that are provided to the Whips' offices of the Fine Gael Party, the Fianna Fáil Party and the Dáil Technical Group; the exact amount of remuneration that each Whip individually receives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13970/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Act, 1998, as amended, provides that an Order may be made to provide for payment of allowance to holders of certain specified positions in the Oireachtas.
Statutory Instrument No. 347 of 2011 is the most recent Order providing for such payments and includes provision for payment of an allowance to a member of the Oireachtas holding the position of Party Whip and Assistant Whip in Dáil Éireann, and for similar positions in Seanad Éireann.
The rates of the allowances have since been reduced in accordance with the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013. A table setting out the positions with entitlement to an allowance and the current applicable rates is below. There is no statutory provision for the payment of an allowance to the Whip of the Dáil Technical Group.
These allowances are paid in addition to the members salaries in respect of their duties as a TD or Senator, which are set at €87,258 and €65,000 respectively. There are no other payments made specifically in relation to Whips.
|
Position |
Amount |
|
Fianna Fáil Party Whip (Dáil Éireann) |
€17,480 |
|
Sinn Féin Party Whip (Dáil Éireann) |
€5,520 |
|
Assistant Government Whip (Dáil Éireann) |
€13,800 |
|
Fianna Fáil Party Assistant Whip (Dáil Éireann) |
€8,740 |
|
Fine Gael Party Assistant Whip (Dáil Éireann) |
€6,900 |
|
Labour Party Assistant Whip (Dáil Éireann) |
€5,520 |
|
Sinn Féin Party Assistant Whip (Dáil Éireann) |
€2,760 |
|
Government Whip (Seanad Éireann) |
€2,682 |
|
Assistant Government Whip (Seanad Éireann) |
€792 |
|
Fianna Fáil Whip (Seanad Éireann) |
€2,682 |
|
Independent Group of Nominee Senators Whip |
€792 |
|
Independent Group of University Senators Whip |
€792 |
