TDs claimed over half a million euro in expenses in the first month of the Dáil term. That's despite the house sitting just once in December.
This report from Ellen Butler: "The annual Parliamentary Standard Allowance is paid to members of the Oireachtas on a monthly basis, and split between travel and accommodation costs and office costs. TDs claimed more than €567,000 in the first month of the new Dáil term, despite sitting just once on December 18th to elect Verona Murphy as Ceann Comhairle.
"Michael Collins claimed the most for the month, at €4,534 - followed by fellow Cork TD Holly Cairns and Kerry's Healy-Rae brothers, at almost €4,479 each.
"Dublin-based TDs Jim O'Callaghan and Eoin Ó Broin, as well as Gillian Toole and Aisling Dempsey from Meath, waived the travel and accommodation allowance. The figures, released by the Houses of the Oireachtas, also show senators claimed 126 thousand euro in expenses in December, despite the Seanad not sitting between November and February."
