THE COST of running the Houses of the Oireachtas will be cut by more than €40 million over the next three years to ensure greater value for money, the body charged with running the Dáil and the Seanad reported yesterday.
Producing its annual report yesterday, the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission said that the existing three-year budget for the Dáil and Seanad – before cutbacks are made – is equal to just €1 in every €500 spent by the State.
Besides TDs and Senators’ pay and pensions, the money pays for members’ staff, Civil Service staff, members’ allowances and other fixed costs such as energy and broadcasting expenditure; travel, training, IT and other costs.
Costs, however, are rising significantly. The Oireachtas cost €123 million to run in 2008, while the figure for this year is €137 million. Sixty per cent of the budget is spent on pay and pensions, while a quarter goes on fixed costs.
Already, the commission has signed up for €25 million worth of cuts and has produced a second list of savings worth €4 million this year alone, including a 10 per cent cut in members’ expenses, that has yet to be accepted by Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan.
“In the present economic circumstances, the commission has committed to continue to ensure greater value for money and realise greater efficiency in the delivery of services and management of its resources,” it said in its annual report.
Quoting a report comparing parliaments from different countries, the commission said the Dáil and Seanad had a better record for sitting than parliaments in Australia and South Africa.
“The Oireachtas records second place with a total of 1,278 sitting hours and 177 sitting days for both Houses per year. It has a below average number of recess weeks per year, and of the parliaments surveyed, has the fourth least number of recess weeks.
“It has fewer recess weeks than parliaments in Germany, Finland, Sweden and Denmark,” said the annual report, adding that 40,875 parliamentary questions were answered last year.