Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for coming in today. While I know we are focusing on amounts, it is also important to keep principles in mind. We can talk later on about allowances in the public sector. If an allowance is not justified as core warranted pay, then it should be reviewed. If there is an expense for a Deputy or Senator that is not vouched, then it should be vouched. We should keep the principles in mind and not just the amounts. Some of the debate so far has focussed on the little amount of money it might save, but that principle should also be borne in mind.

I wish to put some questions to Mr. Coughlan about the Oireachtas commission. The commission came before the PAC in January this year to discuss a review of allowances and expenses for Members that had already been undertaken or was about to get under way.