Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

I have considerable sympathy with the amendment tabled by Deputy Bruton. The Standards is Public Office Commission has a statutory oversight role that relates to party leaders' allowances. The commission has made a recommendation on the statutory effect to be given to the guidelines on the allowance issued. I am considering the recommendations and will consider this proposal in that context. The proposal will be examined in a separate statutory context.

The expenditure control group asked me for leave to examine the Central Fund as well as the voted allocation. The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission is funded by a triennial grant that is a charge on the Central Fund. The examination was conducted and I know the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission met the expenditure control group. There are recommendations in the report that relate to the business of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission and there are also recommendations relating to the National Treasury Management Agency, NTMA.

See this speech in context