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

The cost of the whips is €120,000. It is a struggle to understand the presentation. We know there must be proper ordering of business and so on, but it is astonishing that it should cost the taxpayer that amount of money each year to order the business of the Oireachtas. I am not undermining the role of the whips, which is a necessary part of the parliamentary proceedings. They ensure that people turn up for votes and so on but €120,000 is expensive.

The allowance for travel and accommodation in its totality is unvouched. This causes significant difficulties for everybody concerned. What is the total annual payment under the travel and accommodation allowance?