Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

108. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reasons behind the payment of a whips allowance to the Socialist Party and the People Before Profit Alliance in view of the fact that both of these parties only have one member in Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33989/13]

Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

111. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason behind the payment of a whips allowance to the Socialist Party and the People Before Profit Alliance in view of the fact that these parties only have one member in Dáil Éireann and for a group to be recognised for speaking rights in Dáil Éireann it requires seven members; the reason this payment is made to these Deputies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33993/13]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 111 together.

The Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Act, 1998, provides that an order may be made to provide for a payment to a member of the Oireachtas who holds the position of Party Whip in Dáil Éireann. In that Act, a Party Whip is defined as a member of Dáil Éireann nominated by the leader of a party in Dáil Éireann, having not less than two members in Dáil Éireann, to be the whip of that party. There is no link between the technical rules for speaking time and the provisions of this legislation.

When the last statutory instrument relating to whip’s allowances, (S.I. No 347 of 2001), was published, both the Socialist Party and People before Profit Alliance had the required two members in Dáil Éireann, and therefore provision had to be made for a whip’s allowance for those parties should it be sought. However, this allowance was never claimed by or paid to a member of either party, and as both parties have less than the required two members, this allowance is no longer permitted to be paid.

Officials from my Department are currently preparing a new statutory instrument to reflect the revised rates for various allowances payable to members following the implementation of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013. This S.I. will also remove the provision for the two whips’ allowances referred to by the Deputy, as the parties concerned no longer qualify for such an allowance.

Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

109. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number and names of all Deputies in Dáil Éireann who receive the independent leaders allowance; the amount they receive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33990/13]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Party Leaders 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 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 currently entitled to an annual rate of €41,152. A similar provision in the Act provides for an annual payment, currently amounting to €23,383, for independent Senators.

There are currently 15 Deputies in receipt of the allowance – Catherine Murphy, Finian McGrath, John Halligan, Luke Flanagan, Mattie McGrath, Maureen O’Sullivan, Michael Healy Rae, Michael Lowry, Michael Wallace, Noel Grealish, Shane Ross, Seamus Healy, Stephen Donnelly, Thomas Pringle and Tom Fleming.

In the context of the Expenditure Estimates for 2013, I announced that a 10% reduction will be applied to the Party Leaders Allowance rates payable to qualifying leaders of political parties and to qualifying independent Members. I also announced my intention to amend the legislation to improve the transparency of the Allowance by providing for auditing provisions to apply to independent Members in receipt of such payments. I have taken the opportunity to conduct a review of the Allowance and a consultation process has been undertaken with leaders of qualifying parties, qualifying independent members and with the Standards in Public Office Commission. On foot of that review, I intend to bring proposals to Government very shortly on necessary amendments to the legislation underpinning the Allowance, including amendments to implement the measures I have already announced.