In the first month of the new Dáil session, TD claimed almost €567,000, even though they only met once on December 18th to elect Verona Murphy as Ceann Comhairle, reports Breaking News.
It didn’t reconvene until January 22nd, when a dispute over speaking time prevented Micheál Martin from being elected Taoiseach.
Based on the distance between their house and the Dáil, TDs are eligible to receive reimbursement for travel and lodging costs ranging from €9,000 to €34,065 annually, reports Breaking News.
This indicates that the TDs who reside the farthest away from the Dáil make the biggest claims.
With over €4,530, Cork South West TD Michael Collins made the highest claims in December. Kerry’s Healy-Raes and fellow Cork TD Holly Cairns came in second and third, respectively, with over €4,479 apiece, reports Breaking News.
Gillian Toole and Aisling Dempsey from Meath, as well as Jim O’Callaghan and Eoin Ó Broin from Dublin, waived the travel and lodging allowance.
According to the Houses of the Oireachtas, senators claimed €126,000 in costs in December, even though the Seanad did not convene from November to February.
Members of the Oireachtas receive the yearly Parliamentary Standard Allowance on a monthly basis, which is divided between office expenses and travel and lodging expenses, reports Breaking News.
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