THE COST of mobile phones for TDs and Senators was a matter for the Oireachtas Commission, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said yesterday.
The commission oversees Oireachtas allowances and expenses.
Speaking to journalists at the Fianna Fáil Wolfe Tone commemoration in Bodenstown, Co Kildare, Mr Cowen said there were regulations and rules in place, to which everyone subscribed.
“That is the way it is and, obviously, if there is anything the commission can do to improve them, fine,” he added. “These are issues best directed to the commission.”
The Taoiseach was responding to weekend reports about the cost of the phones, estimated to be €250,000 over seven years.
Questions were also raised about the invoices submitted by Cork East Fianna Fáil TD Ned O’Keeffe when claiming his phone expenses. Mr O’Keeffe was unavailable for comment yesterday.
Mr Cowen said he was not familiar with the detail of the controversy relating to Mr O’Keeffe’s invoices.
A commission spokesman said that under a direct purchase scheme, Oireachtas members were entitled to purchase a mobile phone handset and car-kit from a dealer of their choice, and be reimbursed a maximum of €750 every 18 months. The reimbursement was on a vouched basis in respect of the equipment only. A sum of €250 was paid to cover insurance, maintenance and miscellaneous expenses, subject to the overall amount not exceeding €750, said the spokesman.
The maximum amount payable remained €750 in instances where the invoice submitted exceeded that amount.
It was also the case, said the spokesman, that where a member purchased a mobile phone during the 18-month period for under the €750, and subsequently sought to upgrade or replace the phone in the same period of time, only the balance available could be drawn down. The payment of more than the €750 to an Oireachtas member in an 18-month period was because the invoice related to a purchase during the previous 18 months but not submitted and paid at that time.