Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Combining the public representation and secretarial allowances amounts to just short of €2 million in unvouched payments. We have to cease that practice. I appreciate Mr. Coughlan's commentary. His idea of an independent body deciding on the allowances regime and the level of allowances is probably wise advice. Public representatives need to take note that money of that magnitude cannot be paid out to Deputies and Ministers with no paper trail. It is completely and utterly unacceptable.

Mr. Coughlan has given us the Houses of the Oireachtas rates of payment to chairpersons and members of select committees. I was surprised to see that chairpersons of committees get an additional telephone allowance of €11,000 per annum. I was not aware of this.