Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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292. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide in tabular form the unvouched amounts paid to Independent TDs under the heading of leaders’ allowance from their election to the 31st Dáil to 1 July 2014; if these payments were entirely tax free; the changes now put in place to stop unvouched claims under this heading and to reduce claims; if every eligible current Independent TD claimed the absolute maximum available under the leaders’ allowance until the Government changes were enforced; if any eligible current Independent TD ever returned any of the money involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32339/14]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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293. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the gross amount a PAYE worker would need to earn in a year to take home the cumulative amounts paid to Independent TDs under the heading of leaders’ allowance from their election to the 31st Dáil to 1 July 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32340/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 292 and 293 together.

I refer to my reply to Question No. 283 (25340/14) of 17 June, 2014. 

The Parliamentary Activities Allowance  is paid to the parliamentary leader of a "qualifying party", or the equivalent independent member, to pay for expenses arising from the parliamentary activities, including research, of the party or member as appropriate. 

The Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Act, 1938, as amended, most recently by the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices)(Amendment) Act, 2014 provides that it is not liable to income tax.  As the net take home pay from the gross salary of any PAYE worker reflects his or her personal circumstances, including applicable allowances, any personal pension contribution and whether he or she works in the public service or private sector, it is not possible to give a definitive gross annual salary equivalent.