#Expenses
The 5 at 5: Monday
5 minutes, 5 stories, 5 o’clock…
Oireachtas members paid €764k allowances for month without sittings
224 of the 226 members of the Dáil and Seanad were paid allowances in August, even though both houses were in recess.
"It's a pensions time bomb" - 1 in 5 people stop contributing to their pension
More than two thirds of people surveyed have a pension – but many are finding it too difficult to keep up with monthly financial commitments.
Mixed reaction from customers to Ulster Bank deal
Did the technical glitch affect you? Are you happy with the compensation package?
Bar and restaurant tabs could be deducted from politicians' wages
It has been suggested that outstanding bills be automatically deducted from TDs’ and senators’ wages if left unpaid after three months.
Consumers turning to discount shops and own brands for groceries
Latest Kantar figures show strong growth for Tesco in last quarter, while Aldi and Lidl are increasing their market share.
Sean Quinn's daughter to appear on TV3's Tonight show
Quinn said she expects her father will join his son behind bars as the family is unable to purge their contempt.
Energy Index jumps in July with increases for oil, coal and electricity
The latest Bord Gáis Energy Index cites supply issues and eurozone weakness as pushing fuel up.
The Evening Fix: Friday
Things we learned, loved and shared today.
The 5 at 5: Friday
5 minutes, 5 stories, 5 o’clock…
€83k paid to ex-taoisigh this year – despite scrapping of expenses scheme Exclusive
Payments to former Taoisigh for secretarial allowances continued until March – despite Enda Kenny telling the Dáil they would end in January, TheJournal.ie can reveal.
The 9 at 9: Friday
It’s almost the long weekend…but here’s nine things to know first.
Column: TD expenses controversy misses the point
If TDs are found to be misusing travel allowances but didn’t know about it, writes Eoin O’Malley, maybe the rules are the problem…
Joe Higgins to seek legal advice over travel expenses
Authorities in the Houses of the Oireachtas have already said that they too are talking to lawyers over whether TDs can use travel expenses to attend meetings.
Clare Daly on expenses: 'We've done nothing that we shouldn't have'
The Socialist Party TD has defended her use of travel expenses for going to meetings around the country urging a boycott of the household charge.
The 9 at 9: Wednesday
Nine things to know this morning…
Oireachtas to seek legal advice over TDs using travel expenses
A statement said the Oireachtas “had never envisaged” that TDs would use the allowance for travelling to meetings about the household charge.
Higgins slams 'manufactured controversy' over use of TDs expenses
Independent TD Thomas Pringle said that he did not use expenses to travel around the country to urge people to boycott the household charge as other independent deputies have done.
'Absolutely justifiable' to use allowances for boycott campaign - Higgins
The Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins has said it is okay that deputies use their travel allowances for the purposes of travelling the country urging people to boycott the household charge.
Oireachtas confirms Pearse Doherty did NOT breach expenses rules
Leinster House affirms that Pearse Doherty’s travel expenses would more than cover the amount he received.
Pearse Doherty to meet with Oireachtas after 'conflicting' statements over €8k
Sinn Féin says its finance spokesperson has received conflicting information from the Oireachtas on his use of €8,000 in travel allowances to hire staff and whether he can retrospectively put it towards the cost of a car purchase.
Oireachtas seeks clarification over Pearse Doherty's use of €8k expenses
The Sinn Féin TD wants to put the money used for the employment of constituency workers towards the cost of a car in order to satisfy Oireachtas rules but it’s not clear if he can.
The EU's most expensive place for cigarettes and alcohol last year? Ireland
Ireland ranked overall as the fifth most expensive place for consumer goods and services last year.
'I use it to take someone off the dole' - Doherty on hiring extra staff using excess expenses
Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty had defended spending unused travel expenses in order to hire staff.
Taoiseach makes switch to vouched expenses – costing us extra €8k this year
Enda Kenny has opted to start vouching for his parliamentary expenses – and is therefore entitled to higher monthly payments.
VAT, hospitals and the speed of light: the week in statistics
Exactly how many Irish people are looking for work and can’t find it? And when is a Leaving Cert not a Leaving Cert?
Inflation up 1.8 per cent over year to May 2012
Consumer price index was unchanged between April and May but shows increases in education, transport, food and services over 12 months.
Ned O'Keeffe released without charge
The former Fianna Fáil TD was arrested on suspicion of using a false invoice to claim for mobile phone expenses.
Change to TDs’ expenses reduces chance of similar phone expenses exposé
Reform of the Oireachtas expenses rules in March 2010 means reportage on fraudulent mobile phone expenses can’t be repeated.
Here's why you can't view a TD's 'vouched' expenses receipts
We thought it would be interesting to ask for a copy for a random TD’s receipts for what they spent their vouched expenses on. We were turned down. This is why.
The Daily Fix: Friday
All the biggest news stories from the day, as well as the few bits and pieces you might not have seen.
Oireachtas committee to scrutinise TDs' new expenses regime
TheJournal.ie first reported in February how a tweak to the expenses system meant TDs could claim twice for some costs.
The Daily Fix: Tuesday
All the biggest news stories from the day, as well as any of the bits and pieces you may have missed.
Junior ministers among those who claim most for mileage
Small Business Minister John Perry has claimed the most of any government minister in mileage allowances over the past year, new figures have revealed.
Column: Our politicians are overpaid. It’s time they rejoined the real world.
A new campaign is calling for politicians’ pay to be benchmarked against real jobs. Aaron McKenna explains why the salaries have to shrink.
33 per cent drop in judicial costs over past four years
The costs of transport, accommodation and judicial attire has dropped in recent years – even as the number of judges in the country has risen.
The 9 at 9: Wednesday
The nine things you need to know this morning.
6 politicians who have got in hot water and 2 who escaped unscathed (maybe)
Irish politcians have been hitting the headlines with their less than kosher dealings.. how do they match up to these international wheelers and dealers?
'Vast majority' of counties support crackdown on illegal manager payments
The GAA looks set to press ahead with stricter enforcement of its rules forbidding payment to managers.
12 random items that convulsed Irish politics this past year
Septic tanks, dry-cleaning receipts and Michael D’s knees – just some of the strange things we never thought we’d obsess about in a political context… but we do now.
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