We’re sure there will be plenty of agreement with this.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that he believes all TDs and Senators with an outstanding bill in the Dáil bar should pay it, otherwise they should have the sum taken from their wages.
Varadkar was responding to revelations that the Dáil bar and catering facilities in Leinster House were recently forced to write off a €5,000 tab after it was concluded that the prospect of recovering the sums was unrealistic.
“It is absolutely my view that members and former members should pay their bills. I’d encourage the Oireachtas Commission to look at mechanisms of deducting that money from people’s salary or pensions,” he said.
“Everyone should pay their bills, particularly politicians.”
Although, Varadkar did say it would be possible to deduct the bills from TDs wages, he was unsure whether it would be possible from peoples’ pensions.
According to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission annual report, which was delivered to TDs and Senators last week and is available to read online, a review of all outstanding balances for the catering facilities was carried over the last two years.
Some of the outstanding bills tabs were paid off and the others were written off with the report saying a revised credit policy would be introduced to ensure a limit of when the bills must be paid.
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