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Catherine Murphy's report is aimed at highlighting the disparity in state funding for party members and independents. Photocall Ireland
political funding
Report shows independent TDs get less state funding
Independent TD Catherine Murphy has pulled together figures to illustrate the resource disadvantage of non-party TDs.
8.33pm, 25 Oct 2012
4.0k
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TDS BELONGING to political parties receive up to three times more state funding for their activities than independent members, a report from one such TD has suggested.
Kildare-based independent Catherine Murphy has compiled a report showing the funding parties receive through their ‘party leaders’ allowance’ on top of their exchequer funding, illustrating that TDs from larger parties receive far more resources.
When both sources of funding are included, and then divided among the number of TDs that each party has, Fianna Fáil receives the highest amount – at over €121,000 per TD, more than the wage that each of its 19 TDs are actually paid.
Sinn Féin’s funding, for having 14 TDs, is only slightly lower, at €119,795 per member.
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Curiously, Fine Gael – by far the largest party in the Dáil – receives the least funding per TD, at €59,017 each. However, the size of FG’s Dáil grouping means the party is also entitled to more state-funded staff, at 26, than any other party.
This is because current rules on state funding prescribe certain thresholds beyond which the funding per member is lowered, and also takes into account that parties in government have extra resources at their disposal.
Murphy’s report is designed to showcase that independent TDs receive significantly less resources from the state than their party affiliated colleagues.
The only state funding received by independent TDs is the annual ‘leaders’ allowance’ of €41,152, paid on the premise that each TD is treated as if they are the leader of a one-TD party.
This payment, however, is lower than the equivalent payment to a single TD from a government party (€47,680) or an opposition party (€71,520).
Members of the Public Accounts Committee were yesterday told that public expenditure minister Brendan Howlin, whose department is responsible for most political funding, is open to suggestions from members as to how that system should be amended.
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More terrible news, very sad for his triplet sisters and parents. This is happening much too often now, just last weekend another young man died in Cyprus. They really need to be much more careful, it cause untold sorrow for far too many. RIP young lads. Others planning on holidays ,please, please be careful out there.
These resorts need to take every measure to ensure this stops happening. So any lives have been lost on those balconies. A childhood friend lost his life a few years ago and my sister’s friend also died leaning over trying to get someone’s attention too. They need to be enclosed so that air and light can get in but people can’t get out either intentionally or accidentally. Unfortunately people can get very brave and silly when you are going and under the influence as happens quite often in holiday resorts. Condolences to this poor lads family. Tragic this has happened.
Leaving cert holidays should be banned or parents shouldn’t let them go far too many tragic accidents.Too much exposure to drink and drugs and influence of peer pressure is lethal as a lot of people this age are very immature.
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