Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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95. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount of taxpayers money, in tabular format, claimed by respective Independent TDs under the leader's allowance payment since 9 March 2011; if any TD returned any of the maximum claimable amount; if the leader's allowance is taxable; if any of this was vouched; if he has plans to discontinue the payment of the leader's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3370/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Party Leader's Allowance is provided for in the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Act, 1938, as amended, most recently 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 bye-election or, in the case of Seanad Éireann, nominated to it after the last preceding general election.

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 allowance, currently amounting to €41,152 per annum. A similar provision in the Act provides for an allowance currently amounting to €23,383 per annum for independent Senators.

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. The allowance is non-taxable and is paid monthly in arrears into a bank account specified by the beneficiary of the allowance. It is not claimed in the same manner as expense allowances.

The legislation provides that each party leader must to prepare a statement of expenditure for the party leader s allowance, to have it audited by an independent auditor and furnish it with the auditor s report to the Standards in Public Office (the Commission) Commission. Based on the accounts submitted, the Commission is required to make a report in relation to the use of the Party Leader's Allowance and cause a copy of the report to be laid before the Oireachtas. Allowances paid to independent members are not subject to these oversight provisions

I have no plans to discontinue payment of the allowance. Following a review of the allowance and a consultation process with leaders of qualifying political parties, qualifying independent members and with the Standards in Public Office Commission, I published the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 in October 2013. The Bill has passed all stages in Seanad Éireann and is scheduled for Second Stage in this House shortly.

The Bill provides for a reduction of 10% in the rates of the allowance, representing an estimated full year Exchequer saving of €0.84 million. The same audit and reporting provisions that will apply to parliamentary leaders will also apply to independent members in receipt of the allowance. For the first time, independent members will have to record and account for expenditure from the allowance, all of which is to be expended in respect of parliamentary activities, including research. The Bill includes other necessary measures all of which will increase transparency, accountability and ensure citizens can see that their money is being spent as it was intended.

The total amounts paid to each qualifying independent TD from 9 March 2011 to end 2013 are set out in Appendix A. I am not aware of any amounts that may have been returned by independent TDs.

Appendix A