Health board members across the State claimed more than €1 million in travelling expenses and subsistence allowances last year, according to figures obtained by The Irish Times.
The bulk of the expenses went to health board members in the eastern region, with members of the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the three area health boards created in 2000 after the Eastern Health Board was abolished claiming almost €500,000 in expenses in 2003.
The expenses claimed by one of the health boards in this region, the South Western Area Health Board, which covers Kildare as well as parts of Dublin, were higher than any of the other nine health boards, including those which have larger geographic areas.
The expenses bill of members of the South Western Area Health Board came to €132,413.79 compared to €109,895 for Western Health Board members, €92,663.97 for Southern Health Board members and €108,319.32 for members of the North Western Health Board.
A spokesman for the South Western Area Health Board said members of the board do not receive any pay for their work on the board, and were entitled to travel and subsistence for costs incurred "on official business which would include board meetings and conferences". This is the same for all board members.
He added: "The rates of travel and subsistence which they claim are laid down in Section 9 of the Health Act 1970".
The expenses bill was lowest in the mid-west, where expenses claimed by members of the Mid Western Health Board amounted to €41,179.49.
There were large variations in the amounts claimed by individual health board members.
Ms Mary Hoade, a local councillor on the Western Health Board, claimed €10,684.49 in 2003, while Mayo deputy Ms Beverley Flynn claimed just€845.10. A spokeswoman for the board said Ms Hoade had been chairwoman, and was entitled to an extra allowance to attend additional meetings and functions.
In the Midlands, two members, Mr James Coyle, a councillor, and Mr Camillus Glynn, a senator, claimed more than €7,000. This board said they had both served as chairman, which meant they incurred extra expenses.
In the north-west, the highest expenses went to Mr Paul Conmyn, a Fine Gael councillor from Sligo, who claimed €15,103.49. Other members of the same board, including those who were also members of the Association of Health Boards, claimed significantly less.
The total bill to taxpayers for health board members' expenses in 2003 was similar to 2002.
Health board members will soon be lodging their last expenses bills for attending board meetings as the boards are due to be abolished next month in line with the Government's health reform programme.