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Fine Gael TD Simon Harris. Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland

Harris: €300,000 request for senators’ constituency offices is farcical

The Fine Gael TD said that it confirms that the majority of Senators would rather be in the Dáil.

FINE GAEL TD Simon Harris has described a request by Senators for €300,000 to cover constituency office costs as ‘farcical’.

In today’s Sunday Times, it is reported that Senators have appealed to Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin for funding to open personal offices in their homes towns, despite the fact that they don’t have geographical constituencies.

Harris said this “demonstrates how dysfunctional the second chamber is”.

We are just six weeks out from a referendum on the future of the Seanad being put to the people, making reports of this nature even harder to believe. What this move confirms to us, however, is something that most of us already know; that the majority of Senators would rather be in the Dáil.

The TD said that a consitutency office allowance might allow a senators to better ready themselves for a general election and possibly make the transition to move to the Dáil but added that this “should not be done at the expense of the taxpayer”.

Related: Fine Gael: There’s no ‘secret report’ which convinced Taoiseach to abolish Seanad>

More: Support for Seanad abolition down in latest poll>

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    Mute Owen McDermott
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    Sep 21st 2015, 9:49 PM

    The old chap with the bike at the end of the article – now that’s a real story!

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    Mute TommyJung
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    Sep 21st 2015, 9:59 PM

    Good man. Still going strong. Worth thinking about what this man has seen and experienced in a long life.

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    Mute Redmond Barry
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    Sep 21st 2015, 9:59 PM

    That bike is in good nick for the age of it.

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    Mute Francie Coffey
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    Sep 22nd 2015, 10:08 AM

    Redmond Barry
    the bike is in great nick alright, – replaced the saddle 4 times, the wheels 6 times, and the frame, pedals & handlebars twice.
    All jokes aside, a man to be greatly admired.

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    Mute TheGor Gorry
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    Sep 21st 2015, 9:23 PM

    Nice, I enjoyed this article, please do another town, then another

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    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
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    Sep 21st 2015, 10:58 PM

    Humans of Waterford next.

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    Mute Rob O'Farrell
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    Sep 21st 2015, 10:53 PM

    No. 7 engaged ?? A combined age of 31 will you stop.

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    Mute TommyJung
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    Sep 21st 2015, 11:38 PM

    Los Vegas here we come.

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    Mute Maggie
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    Sep 22nd 2015, 5:27 AM

    Thought it was a gay story actually ha

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    Mute Lou Tennant
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    Sep 21st 2015, 8:49 PM

    This headline takes some beating by journal and daily edge standards. worst ever

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    Mute Powerful Sayings
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    Sep 21st 2015, 8:50 PM

    whats wrong with it?

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    Mute Lou Tennant
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    Sep 21st 2015, 8:53 PM

    Ah heeyor

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    Mute Ben Smith
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    Sep 21st 2015, 9:12 PM

    I would imagine having your heart melted would actually be extremely painful.

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    Mute paul compton
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    Sep 21st 2015, 9:30 PM

    Melt your head more like.

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    Mute johnnyblaze2004
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    Sep 21st 2015, 11:05 PM

    how about coming up with an original idea for once Dublin?

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    Mute Rachel Ray
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    Sep 21st 2015, 10:49 PM

    it’s always about Dublin. ah sure never mind the rest of us!!!!

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    Mute Rashers Tierney
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    Sep 21st 2015, 11:20 PM

    I presume this Varga guy was in Dublin when he did his interviews. Otherwise it could be ‘Humans of Hackballscross ” or some other charming title. Why are people blaming Dublin? Get on Mr Varga’s case about it. :-)

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    Mute Owen McDermott
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    Sep 22nd 2015, 11:30 AM

    What about “Cute Hoors of Cork”?

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    Mute gary kelly
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    Sep 21st 2015, 11:24 PM

    Number 7 = cracker

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Sep 23rd 2015, 11:45 PM

    How can one story compare to another, they can’t.

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