PAC to examine political allowances with Oireachtas Commission and Public Expenditure

Chairman of the Committee John McGuinness, TD, said: “As part of our review into allowances paid across departments and State bodies, we will be examining the various allowances paid to members of the Oireachtas.

The Parliamentary Standard Allowance paid to Oireachtas Members has two strands, a travel and accommodation allowance and a public representation allowance. Members are paid various vouched and unvouched amounts under these allowances which are linked to attendance at Leinster House and for expenses incurred in their performances as political representatives.

We will consider the various expenses paid to members, in particular looking at the vouched and unvouched portions, as well as the allowance paid for attendance at Leinster House, and examine the rationale behind allowances paid to politicians.”

This meeting starts at 2pm on Tuesday, 23rd October in Committee Room 1, LH 2000 and will be followed by a meeting with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform at 4pm to review civil service allowances.

In addition, the Committee will examine allowances that are agreed centrally and are paid across the civil service to establish whether these can be streamlined and to find out who the major beneficiaries are.

Committee proceedings can be followed live at: http://bit.ly/24YmPI

Ends

For further information please contact:

Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2

P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551

Committee of Public Accounts

Membership

John McGuinness (Chairman)
Kieran O’Donnell (Vice Chairman)
Paul J Connaughton,
John Deasy,
Paschal Donohoe,
Gerald Nash,
Simon Harris,
Michael McCarthy,
Mary Lou McDonald,
Sean Fleming,
Eoghan Murphy,
Derek Nolan,
Shane Ross