THE MINISTER FOR Small Business John Perry has claimed the most of all government ministers in mileage allowances over the past year it has emerged.
The Sligo-North Leitrim TD claimed €31,866 in mileage allowance in the past 12 months according to figures disclosed in answer to 15 parliamentary questions tabled by Fianna Fáil environment spokesperson Niall Collins.
Collins asked for “the amount of expenses claimed on a monthly basis since March 2011 by all Ministers attached to his Department” of each of the 15 ministers and received responses from all but one of the, Health Minister James Reilly.
The figures were examined by the financial blogger NAMA Wine Lake who has been through the figures in this post.
The expenses exclude the three cabinet members who have a ministerial car and drivers including the Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, and Justice Minister Alan Shatter.
All other ministers must use their own cars however they are each entitled to drivers and are entitled to claim mileage as well as accommodation expenses.
The figures also reveal that Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Minister Jimmy Deenihan, a TD for Kerry North-West Limerick, has claimed over €24,000 in travel expenses.
He is followed by Finance Minister and Limerick TD Michael Noonan who has claimed over €23,000.
The figures also reveal that Perry’s fellow junior ministers Michael Ring, Minister for State for Tourism and Sport and Mayo TD, and Ciaran Cannon, Minister of State for Training and Skills and Galway East TD, each claimed over €22,000 in expenses for mileage and accommodation.
Labour Minister of State for Research and Innovation, Seán Sherlock, a TD for Cork East, claimed over €20,000 in the year to March.
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