FORMER FIANNA Fáil senator Don Lydon was paid almost €150,000 in travel and subsistence expenses between 2004 and 2007 after changing his normal place of residence from Dublin to Donegal.
Mr Lydon (72) was a senator for 20 years between 1987 and 2007 and a councillor on Dublin County Council between 1985 and 1993 and on Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Council between 1994 and 2003.
During that time he lived in Stillorgan where he was a consultant psychologist at the nearby St John of God’s Hospital.
In February 2004, Mr Lydon wrote to the travel and expenses office of the Oireachtas, which deals with the expenses of TDs and Senators, and informed it he had changed his normal place of residence from Stillorgan Park Avenue in Dublin to Murray Lodge, Killybegs, Co Donegal. Mr Lydon was brought up in Donegal and the property in question had belonged to his family. The change, he said, was effective from January 1st 2004.
The change resulted in Mr Lydon opting for a mileage rate from the Donegal address rather than the €61.53 daily allowance paid to Dublin-based Senators.
Records released by the Houses of the Oireachtas under the Freedom of Information Act show he claimed €146,059 in travel and subsistence expenses between January 1st, 2004, and July 22nd, 2007, a period of 3½ years. Mr Lydon’s yearly claim for mileage and subsistence ranged from €37,000 to €39,000, with €24,000 claimed for the seven months in 2007.
These expenses were separate to other expenses to which senators are entitled, including telephone, office, stationery and miscellaneous items.
Mr Lydon, when contacted this week, said he moved to Killybegs permanently in 2004. “I am an old man and am retired and not involved now. Thank you very much,” he said.
The records show Dublin-based senators in the 22nd Seanad Eddie Bohan, Cyprian Brady, Liam Fitzgerald, Brian Hayes, Tony Kett, Derek McDowell, Tom Morrissey, David Norris, Joe O’Toole, Feargal Quinn, Shane Ross, Sheila Terry, Joanna Tuffy and Mary White all claimed the daily allowance of €61 per day.
Several current members of the Seanad elected from Dublin addresses, including Senator Ivor Callely, have been subject to inquiries by the Seanad’s Committee on Members Interest after it emerged they declared their normal place of residence as outside the capital.