22/06/09 - Report on Expenditure of the Party Leaders Allowance (2008)

Appendix 1 - Increases in the Party Leaders Allowance during 2008 and current rates of payment

Section 11A of the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Act 1938 (as inserted by the Ministerial, Parliamentary and Judicial Offices and Oireachtas Members (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2001) provides that the allowance shall increase in line with general Civil Service pay increases. An increase of 2% under Towards 2016 was applied to the allowance from 1 March 2008.  A second increase of 2.5% under Towards 2016 was applied to the allowance from 1 September 2008. 

Section 8A of the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Act 1938 (as inserted by section 11 of the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act 1973) provides that the Government may, by order, increase the allowance. (Increases made by an order of the Government generally reflect increases awarded under Reports of the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector.) During 2008, no such increases to the allowance were made by Ministerial Order.

As of 31 December 2008, therefore, the allowance paid to parliamentary party leaders in respect of members of Dáil Éireann was as follows:

• €71,520 per member for each of the first 10 members elected,
• €57,214 per member for each member elected from 11 to 30 members and
• €28,616 for each member elected over 30 members.

(The original amounts provided for in the Act were €48,547, €38,837 and €19,423, respectively)

As of 31 December 2008 the allowance paid to parliamentary party leaders in respect of members of the Seanad was €46,766 per member elected or nominated for each of the first five members and €23,383 for each member elected or nominated over 5 members. (The original amounts provided for in the Act were €31,743 and €15,872 respectively).

As of 31 December 2008, non-party members of Dáil Éireann received an allowance of €41,152 while non-party members of Seanad Éireann received an allowance of €23,383. (The original amounts provided in the Act were €27,934 and €15,872, respectively). The total amount paid to non-party members of Dáil and Seanad Éireann during 2008 was €361,936. Non-party members of Dáil or Seanad Éireann are not required to furnish to the Standards Commission a Statement of Expenditure in relation to the allowance.

In accordance with section 1.10(6) of the Act, these allowances are not subject to income tax.

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