Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am raising this matter because Members are all to often afraid to discuss it. The cost of doing business needs to be debated openly and transparently in the interests of ensuring that Members do their work effectively. Under the scenario I envisage, the Exchequer would not incur any additional expense. As the Minister will be aware, expenses are about to be audited to ensure Members have acted appropriately. An unintended consequence of the failure to address the eligibility criteria for Senators' expenses may be that Senators, through no fault of their own, will fall foul of current rules because they were inappropriately drafted in the first instance.