Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 255: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the current annual payments in respect of the leader's allowance and the calculations based on numbers of Deputies and Senators making up the exact allocation; the method and frequency of payment of this amount in respect of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Labour Party, Sinn Féin, the Socialist Party and People Before Profit and each Independent Member of the Oireachtas; the amounts obtained by them under same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3848/12]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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As indicated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 150 on 15 December last and also to Parliamentary Question No. 3118 last Thursday, I intend to bring proposals to Government shortly in relation to the Party Leader's Allowance. The Party Leader's Allowance is provided for in the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) Act, 1938, as amended by the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act, 2001.

The allowance is paid to the parliamentary leader of a qualifying party in relation to expenses arising from the parliamentary activities, including research, of the party. Payments are made in respect of members of the party elected to Dáil Éireann and members elected/nominated to Seanad Éireann at the last preceding general election, or a subsequent by-election or, in the case of Seanad Éireann, nominated to it after the last preceding general election. The conditions governing entitlement to payment of the allowance are set out in the Act. The primary restriction in the Act on the use of the allowance is that it may not be used in respect of election expenses.

Under the legislation, the amounts paid to the parliamentary leader of a qualifying party are calculated on the following basis:

*The legislation provides that, in the case of a qualifying party forming part of the Government, the combined allowances due in respect of TDs of that party are reduced by one third.

The legislation also provides that payments may be made to a member of Dáil Éireann, who at the last preceding general election or at a subsequent bye-election was elected as a member other than as a member of a qualifying party. Such qualifying Independent TDs are entitled to an annual rate of €41,152. A similar provision in the Act provides for an annual payment of €23,383 for Independent Senators.

The current annual amounts payable in respect of each of the parties of the 31st Dáil, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour, Sinn Féin, Socialist Party and People before Profit, and Independent TDs, are set out at Appendix I. The current annual amounts payable to qualifying Independent members elected/nominated to Seanad Éireann at the last preceding general election, or at a subsequent bye-election, are also specified. The methodology used for calculation of the allowances for each qualifying party is set out in Appendix II.

The amounts of the allowances paid to date in respect of each party and each Independent TD and Senator is at Appendix III. Payments specified in respect of qualifying members of Dáil Éireann are for the period 25 February 2011 to 31 December 2011. Having regard to members of Seanad Éireann, in the case of elected members, the allowance was payable from 26 April 2011. In the case of members nominated by the Taoiseach, the allowance was payable from 20 May 2011. The allowances are generally payable monthly in arrears into a bank account specified by the beneficiary of the allowance.

Party Leader's Allowance – total annual amounts payable

Calculation of the annual amount of the Party Leader's Allowance payable to the parliamentary leader of the qualifying parties of the 31st Dáil

Party Leader's Allowance - amounts paid to December 2011*

*Members of Dáil Éireann - Total amount paid for the period 25 February 2011 to 31 December 2011.

Members of Seanad Éireann – Total amount paid for the period 26 April 2011 to 31 December 2011 in the case of elected members and from 20 May 2011 to 31 December in the case of members nominated by the Taoiseach.