Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)

This Bill was first introduced by me to the Seanad on 7 July 2009 and subsequently passed all Stages. I indicated on more than one occasion that it might be the intention of the Minister for Finance to introduce an amendment on Committee Stage in the Dáil to permit changes to be made to the parliamentary allowances system, such as may be agreed between the Minister and the Commission of the Houses of the Oireachtas, to be introduced by regulation. Such an amendment was made and, therefore, the Bill has returned to the Seanad.

The amendment relates to a new section 3 of the Bill. The purpose of the new section 3 is to facilitate consideration of a proposal made by the Oireachtas Commission for the introduction of a single composite allowance for Deputies and Senators, to be known as the parliamentary standard allowance. That will replace separate allowances payable at present. In the case of Senators, for instance, the Commission envisaged that the composite allowance would include all, or elements of, the existing expense allowances, including travelling facilities, overnight allowance, miscellaneous expense allowance, telephone allowance and mobile telephone allowance.

This new section will enable the Minister for Finance to provide for the payment of the single composite allowance, instead of the existing separate expense allowances. It will also enable the Minister to make regulations determining the rate of the allowance, the date from which it will be payable, the conditions of payment and the manner of payment. In addition, it will allow the Minister to make regulations regarding the recording of attendance and deductions for non-attendance, such as is, for example, the practice with the European Parliament, where there is signing into plenary sessions. As we know, committee attendance here is already recorded, which is particularly relevant when the Houses are not sitting.

The new section is an enabling provision only. The Commission's proposals have the potential to provide a simpler and more streamlined system. However, there is a need for further consideration and discussion of the proposed composite allowance before it is introduced in regulations. Any such regulations that might be made later would be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas.