Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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615. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department has received any reports or notifications of irregularities in claims made under the parliamentary activities allowance during the period January to June 2025, particularly in relation to payments claimed for Deputies who were suspended from their parties or publicly declared as sitting as independents during that period. [44878/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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616. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the protocols governing the eligibility criteria for inclusion in a party’s parliamentary activities allowance claim; if a public declaration of independent status by a Deputy obliges the party to revise its allowance claim accordingly; and if so, the notification requirements that exist. [44879/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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617. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if any portion of the €424,696.10 in parliamentary activities allowance paid to a political party between January and June 2025 is currently under review or subject to repayment, in light of reports that a Deputy (details supplied) was not sitting with the party during that period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44880/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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618. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a formal review will now be undertaken into the monitoring, audit and compliance structures associated with the parliamentary activities allowance, in order to ensure taxpayer funds are not being misused through continued claims in respect of suspended or departed members. [44930/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 615, 616, 617 and 618 together.

I propose to respond to Parliamentary Questions 44878/25; 44879/25; 44880/25; and 44930/25 together. Provision for the Parliamentary Activities Allowance is made under the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Act 1938 as amended, most recently by the Oireachtas (Ministerial & Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Act 2014.

The allowance is paid to the parliamentary leader of a qualifying Party in relation to expenses arising from the parliamentary activities of the Party. Section 3 of the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Act, 2014, amended the Principal Act by inserting section 10H which lists the different categories of expenditure that are regarded as expenses arising from parliamentary activities.

The legislation also provides that payments may be made to a Member of Dáil or Seanad Éireann who is elected as an Independent Member.

Payments are calculated by reference to the number of members elected to Dáil Éireann and members elected/nominated to Seanad Éireann and is fixed at the time of the election, or following a bye-election. Members subsequently leaving or joining Parties does not affect the position.

The Parliamentary Activities Allowance will only change during a Dáil term where a TD or Senator is no longer a Member of the Oireachtas e.g. if a TD or Senator was to resign the relevant monthly payment would be adjusted accordingly.

The position has been, and continues to be, that after every General Election or Bye-Election, the allowance payments are re-calculated based on the results.

The legislation provides that each Party Leader and Independent member in receipt of the allowance must prepare a statement of expenditure for the allowance, to have it audited by an independent auditor and furnish it with the auditor's report to the Standards in Public Office Commission. As provided under the legislation, the Commission shall consider every statement and auditor’s report furnished to it. No specific review in addition to these established audit and monitoring arrangements is currently being undertaken by officials in my Department.