Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This amendment provides that the parliamentary activities allowance, what we are now calling the former leader's allowance, shall be payable following a request from a parliamentary leader of a qualifying party or a qualifying Independent Member. This is already the case on an administrative basis because Members and party leaders are required to provide bank details to receive moneys from the central fund. However, it is appropriate to reflect this requirement in the legislation. Some people may decide they do not want to ask for this allowance. For that reason, it is not paid automatically and one simply needs to request it.