Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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They go abroad and receive a cost of living allowance. Is that based on a basket of goods that includes rent? If it does include rent they are being doubly compensated. If not, it is quite fair. The local post allowance averaged approximately €17,000 per annum per person in 2012, and many other costs for which compensation is fair. If education costs are included in the cost of living increase, why do we pay education costs individually? If medical costs are included in the cost of living bundle, why do we compensate for those separately and so on?

I raised a legal point about the rent allowance, based on the Department’s business case for the deal done with the Department of Finance on extra costs, and not simply additional costs. It has to be extra. That was the legal requirement for calculating that. I would like to see the analysis behind that. What exactly is the representation allowance for?