Details to be sought on extent of allowances in public bodies

The Public Accounts Committee is to seek details from all public bodies on the level of allowances paid to staff. The committee said yesterday the issue of payment of allowances would then form part of the examination of the accounts of the bodies concerned when their senior officials appear before it.

The move follows a request in writing to the committee by Fine Gael TD Eoghan Murphy.

The chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, John McGuinness, said it would write to accounting officers in Government departments and agencies seeking details of the extent of allowances, their cost, the rate of payment and the date when the payment commenced.

“As part of our examination of this issue, the committee will meet the Minister for Public Expenditure in early October to discuss the public service reform plan and, as part of that discussion, we will look at the process that was involved in the 2012 review of these allowances.”

The committee, Mr McGuinness added, intended to put all allowances under scrutiny on a case-by-case basis.