Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 6 March 2014

Public Accounts Committee

2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade
Chapter 13 - Official Development Assistance

12:10 pm

Mr. David Cooney:

I have a home which I do not rent if I go abroad. Even if somebody decides to rent a property or owns half a dozen properties, I cannot get into individual circumstances. I cannot decide it is fine if a property is not rented but it is not fine if somebody decides to rent half a dozen properties they own. It would be impossible to start interrogating people about whether they rent a property or sell when they go abroad. The Deputy is basically asking that if somebody goes abroad and decides to rent their property, that person should not get an allowance.