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Donegal TDs claim €800,000
expenses
01.09.09
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DONEGAL North East's
Deputy Niall Blaney was among the ten highest
claimants of TD expenses and allowances since the
last general election, it's been revealed.
And the figures show that Donegal's six TDs claimed
a total of nearly €805,000 between them on top of
their Dáil salaries. A TD's mininum wage is roughly
€100,000 a year including top-up bonuses. |
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Fianna Fáil's Deputy
Blaney claimed over €193,000 since the formation of
the 30th Dáil in June 2007. Around €33,267 of this
was in taxed allowances, with €160,414 in untaxed
allowances and expenses. The figures also show that
Deputy Jim McDaid |
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claimed almost €146,000
while Fine Gael's Deputy Joe McHugh claimed almost
€120,000.
In Donegal South West, Deputy Dinny McGinley of Fine
Gael received just over €177,000 in expenses and
allowances; Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher collected
€130,000 while Tánaiste Mary Coughlan received just
under €39,000.
The figures were compiled by the Irish Independent
newspaper under the Freedom of Information Act and
show that Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue was the
highest earner of expenses and allowances in the
last two years at €329,288. His taxable allowance
totalled €235,044 while he also received untaxed
allowances and expenses of €94,244. The figures show
that the highest claimants live furthest away from
Leinster House and are therefore entitled to mileage
and overnight expenses to name but some.
TDs' expenses and allowances have been the subject
of much public anger since the beginning of the
recession. A10% cut in expenses and allowances is
being proposed.
Deputy Blaney who is also co-chairman of the
British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly, was the third
highest claimant among the country's 166 TDs. He was
attending a family funeral yesterday and declined to
comment on the figures. |
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