CIVIL SERVANTS and political aides working in the Oireachtas were paid almost €5.5 million in overtime and other allowances during 2008, according to the Oireachtas Commission accounts which have been made public.
The annual accounts show that extra payments for the 819 employees who work in Leinster House totalled €5,405,548, an average of €6,600. One staff member received over €30,000 in extra payments during 2008.
The accounts show that 204 employees received extra remuneration of €10,000 or more for a variety of reasons, including overtime, special or additional duties, extra attendance and shift and roster allowances.
Some 429 of the staff who work in the Oireachtas are civil servants, 54 are industrial staff and 336 are political staff employed by TDs or Senators.
The accounts were not included in the annual report of the commission published in July as they had not been certified at the time. They were lodged in the Dáil Library in the past week.
The certified accounts also show that almost €5.6 million was paid to TDs and Senators for travel expenses. In addition, almost €9 million was paid out to the 226 members of the Oireachtas in other allowances, which cater for telephone, office upkeep and constituency allowances.
The average paid out to the 134 TDs who are not office holders was approximately €80,000.
The expenses system remains unvouched. However, earlier this year, the Oireachtas Commission agreed to a 25 per cent reduction in mileage allowance in addition to a 10 per cent cut in all other allowances.
In recent weeks, Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan announced that he would be introducing a new vouched system for all expenses.
The commission met Mr Lenihan on Tuesday evening to discuss its proposals.