Cost of running Oireachtas down 9%
The cost of running the Oireachtas last year was €10m lower than expected.
A report out today shows that the Houses of the Oireachtas expected to spend €115.6m last year - but total spending came in at less than €105.5m, a saving of 9%.
The biggest savings came from reductions in staff numbers and lower-than-expected pension costs, as well as a 20% drop in the allowances paid out to politicians.
Sitting days increased by 23% over the same period in 2011 (an election year) and by 18% in the same period in 2010.
