Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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94. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the total Independents' leaders' allowance claimed by each recipient during the 31st Dáil to date; the amount of this that was vouched; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21978/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Parliamentary Activities Allowance (formerly known as the Party Leader's Allowance) is provided for under the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Act 1938, amended most recently by the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices)(Amendment) Act 2014.

The legislation provides that each party leader and independent Member of the Dáíl or Seanad in receipt of the Parliamentary Activities Allowance must, each year, prepare a statement of expenditure in relation to amounts spent from the allowance, have this statement audited by an independent auditor, and furnish the statement and accompanying auditor's report to the Standards in Public Office Commission.  Based on the statement provided, the Commission is required to make a report in relation to the use of the Parliamentary Activities Allowance and cause a copy of the report to be laid before the Oireachtas.  The reporting requirements for Independent Members were introduced by me in this year's Act.

The Deputy should also note that I have also reduced the amount of the allowance payable to both party leaders and to Independent Members by 10%, which will amount in a saving of approximately €840,000 in a full calendar year.  I have also provided additional powers to the Standards in Public Office Commission to provide guidance on the proper expenditure of the allowance, and to satisfy itself that the expenditure declared is in order.

As requested, the total amounts paid to each qualifying independent Member from 9 March 2011 to date are set out in Appendix A.