It comes as seven TDs and Senators were shown to have made repayments on parliamentary allowances from 2023
Seven TDs and Senators had to return funds to the Oireachtas after an audit of the Public Representative Allowance (PRA) for 2023 found they were unable to show receipts or claimed for spending that fell outside the allowed categories.
According to the Irish Times, a combined sum of more than €7,000 was repaid by current and former office holders in respect of the allowance, which is paid at an annual rate of €20,350 to TDs, €12,225 to Senators and €16,000 to Ministers.
Fianna Fáil Senator Fiona O’Loughlin repaid €1,255 following the audit.
She said that she retained a constituency office, though no longer a member of the Dáil, and put some of the rent against her allowance.
As she was a member of the Upper House, she said this was not allowed and added that she made the repayments through personal funds.
Independent auditor Forvis Mazars conducted an audit for 2023 for the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission and chose 22 of the 220 Oireachtas members for examination. It found that 15 of the 22 were able to show relevant documentation in respect of all €279,123 in allowances they claimed.
However, in respect of seven TDs and Senators, it found they were unable to show sufficient receipts or relevant documentation within allowable expenditure categories. They also found that some expenditure was not incurred in the relevant period.
The report, completed last year, was published by the commission last week.
It found that €115,593 in allowances paid to the seven members was supported by documentation or fell within allowable categories.
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