Many TDs and Senators are claiming expenses worth up to and more than the equivalent of their annual salaries, according to new figures which show that most Oireachtas members received tens of thousands of euro in expenses in 2003.
Records released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that the State paid €10.9 million in expenses to TDs last year and paid expenses of €2.67 million to Senators.
The documents show that the Fine Gael Longford-Roscommon TD Mr Denis Naughten was the biggest recipient of Oireachtas expenses last year.
While Mr Naughten claimed €103,083.76, this included more than €43,000 in constituency office grants and office maintenance allowances going back to 1997.
As a TD with seven years' service, Mr Naughten's salary is €83,024.
The second-highest expenses claimant in the Dáil last year was the Cork North West Fianna Fáil TD Mr Dónal Moynihan, who received €94,273.37. This included arrears dating from 2000 in his constituency office entitlements.
Senator Brendan Daly of Fianna Fáil, who claimed €91,413, was the biggest recipient of Seanad expenses last year. As an Oireachtas member since 1973, his current Seanad salary is €59,912.
Separate information shows that Mr Daly also received a pension of €33,297 last year in respect of his time as a Minister and Minister of State in various portfolios, including marine and defence.
While documents released to The Irish Times show that Mr Daly claimed €14,203 last year in travel and subsistence entitlements from 2002, they also show that he made 17 claims last year for travel to cities such as Paris, Strasbourg, Brussels and Berlin, and to Luxembourg and Cyprus. Senator Daly also received a miscellaneous expense allowance of €4,112.68, which is payable to all Senators.
The basic TD's salary is €80,024 per annum. This rises to €83,024 for TDs with 7-10 years' service and to €85,589 for those with more than 10 years' service.
The figures show that 11 TDs claimed in excess of €80,000 in their expenses last year and 28 more claimed in excess of €70,000.
In general, such TDs were based in rural constituencies, where the expense entitlements are greater due to the distance from Leinster House.
These included rural Dáil members such as the Fianna Fáil Cork TDs Mr Ned O'Keeffe (€88,824.89) and Mr Denis O'Donovan (€80,714.03); and the Donegal TD Ms Cecilia Keaveney (€86,995). The Tipperary Fianna Fáil TD Mr Noel Davern claimed €81,685.67.
Fine Gael TDs such as Mr Pat Breen (€87,688.15) and Mr Paul Kehoe (€80,211) claimed more than €80,000, while Ms Breda Moynihan-Cronin of Labour claimed €81,105.75. Independents who claimed more than €80,000 included Mr Niall Blaney (€81,148.45), Mr James Breen (€83,506.95) and Paddy McHugh (€88,657.61).
The basic salary for Senators is €56,320. This rises to €58,117 with 7-10 years' service and to €59,912 with 10 or more years' service.
The second-highest Seanad claimant last year was Senator Rory Kiely of Fianna Fáil, who received €84,034.97. This included three travel claims in respect of visits to Boston, Athens and France. Senator Kiely also received €4,808.77 in mileage arrears from 2002.
Senators who received in excess of €60,000 included Fianna Fáil figures such as Mr Paschal Mooney (€66,615.12) and Mr Labhrás Ó Murchú (€61,195.55); and Fine Gael figures such as Mr Paddy Burke (€63,462.46) and Mr Jim Higgins (€60,433.50)
The documents show that ministers and ministers of state lodged the smallest expense claims.
This is because they travel in State cars and their foreign official travel is paid directly by the State.
Some 25 TDs and Senators claimed expenses for their work and travel with the British-Irish parliamentary body. The amounts paid to individual members ranged to a maximum of €1,585.35, which was claimed by Senator Mooney.
In addition, 33 TDs and Senators claimed expenses in relation to their work and travel with the Irish Parliamentary Association. Such claims ranged up to a maximum of €1,886.65, which was claimed by Senator Kiely.
The expenses entitlement of TDs and Senators include a daily travel allowance of €61.53 for members who live within 15 miles of Leinster House.
Those living more than 15 miles from the house are entitled to either the daily allowance or an overnight allowance of €139.67. They are also entitled to a mileage allowance of €1.1639 per mile up to 4,000 miles and 54.3 cent per mile after 4,001 miles. TDs are also entitled to allowances for travel within the constituencies and to a range of grants for the constituency office, telephone and secretarial expenses.
