Seven TDs and senators made over €7k of ineligible expenses claims in 2023, audit finds
Seán McCárthaigh
Seven TDs and senators were found to have claimed expenses totalling over €7,000 for which they could not provide supporting evidence to show the payments were for allowable expenditure, according to the findings of an audit.
A newly published audit report by the Houses of the Oireachtas on the payment of over €286,000 under the Public Representation Allowance (PRA) to a sample of politicians during 2023 detected payments totalling €7,088 for which insufficient supporting documentation had been shown.
The previous year’s audit had detected payments for ineligible expenses totalling €1,524 to three Oireachtas members which was the lowest level of disallowed claims under the PRA in recent years.
The amount of ineligible expenses peaked in 2017 when claims totalling almost €10,000 by six TDs and senators were disallowed.
The latest report by independent auditors commissioned by the Houses of the Oireachtas confirmed that all the money had subsequently been refunded to the State.
It also noted that a total of €115,593 in claims by the seven politicians were considered eligible and approved.
The audit was carried out to determine if TDs and senators had provided valid evidence of vouchers, receipts and bills in relation to the amounts claimed for allowable categories of expenses.
A sample audit of 10 per cent of Oireachtas members – 22 TDs and senators chosen randomly – is carried out annually.
The largest amount of expenses claimed which was disallowed was €3,060 by the then Cavan-Monaghan TD, Pauline Tully, who is now a Sinn Féin member of the Seanad.
The second highest level of claims deemed ineligible was €1,729 by her party colleague, the former Tipperary TD, Martin Browne.
The third largest amount was €1,256 was by Fianna Fáil senator, Fiona O’Loughlin.
Former Green Party TD, Francis Noel Duffy was found to have wrongly claimed €470.
It was the second year in a row that the former Dublin South-West TD and husband of then Green Party deputy leader, Catherine Martin was audited and found to have made ineligible expenses claims. The 2022 audit found Mr Duffy had expenses of €135 disallowed.
Smaller ineligible expenses were also claimed by former Green Party TD, Patrick Costello (€266); the Minister for State for Migration, Colm Brophy, (€168) and former Fine Gael minister, Richard Bruton (€140).
The report revealed that €5,793 worth of expense claims was disallowed as the cost did not fall within an allowable expenditure category.
Another €735 was wrongly claimed because the claimant had not correctly apportioned their cost of utilities, advertising and newsletter distributions with other politicians who featured in the same newsletter.
A further €560 was disallowed because insufficient supporting documentation was provided for the expenditure incurred,
The latest audit found 15 elected representatives were able to show receipts and other relevant documentation in relation to €279,124 claimed in expenses.
They included current Government ministers, Jack Chambers and Dara Calleary and former minister, Heather Humphreys as well as Government chief whip, Mary Butler.
Others were Fianna Fáil TDs Willie O’Dea and John McGuinness and Independent TD Michael Lowry.
The PRA allows for expenditure on rent, rates and other charges in relation to running an office and related utilities.
It also covers office furniture and equipment and improvements to office accommodation, signage, stationery as well as insurance, clearing and telephone charges.
Other expenses which can be claimed under the PRA include web hosting, hiring rooms for clinics, leaflet and newsletter distribution and advertising related to their work as an elected representative as well as secretarial support, PR, information technology and training services.
While PRA guidelines provide clear information to TDs and senators, the auditors noted there were recurring instances where ineligible advertising expenses were being claimed.
They pointed out that members of the Oireachtas are failing to claim expenses on a pro-rata basis where newsletters and advertisements include other TDs, senators and councillors.
The report said a similar issue in relation to pro-rata calculations was also arising when claims were being made for annual charges such as utilities, computer maintenance, licences and insurance.
The auditors also recommended that Oireachtas members be continuously reminded that allowance claims must be “wholly and exclusively incurred in the performance of the member’s duties” and be supported by appropriate back-up documentation.
They also advised that consideration should be given to the eligibility of expenditure for AI tools and platforms.
