Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Senator Norris's amendments seek to remove the auditing requirement for qualifying Independent Members in receipt of parliamentary activities money.

As I stated on Second Stage, with the increased scrutiny of all public expenditure, it is not acceptable for Independent Members to receive funding for which they alone would be excluded from being accountable when others must be accountable. It is not workable for us to require that Members only spend this funding on parliamentary activities without requiring them to show evidence that they have done so. This is the new regime expected of us by the public.

The Senator rightly stated that, if Members do not wish to hold accounts, it is open to them to fund their activities from their own resources or salaries. If they draw down this allowance, it must be accountable and spent on things that are allowable. This must be clearly accounted to the people.