Rising hotel costs spur Fine Gael Junior Ministers to ask State to pay their Dublin hotel bills
A group of Fine Gael Junior Ministers are asking for the State to pay their hotel bills when the Dáil is sitting, claiming Dublin is too expensive.
At least eight ministers have complained to the Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe that their expenses do not factor in midweek stays in the capital.
TDs from outside Dublin are entitled to claim up to €34,000 a year in travel and accommodation expenses but ministers are not.
Ministers, whose basic TD salary of €94,535 is supplemented by a ministerial payment of €35,319, are required to submit mileage claims to their department but have to cover their hotel bills themselves.
One minister told the Irish Independent: "Basically Paschal said people would have to wait until after an election. It's an anomaly that if you're a Dublin minister you're fine but if you come up from the country, you're paying for a hotel two or three nights a week."
Another one added: "Paschal listened but there is an absolute realisation on both sides that nothing can be done about it at the minute. Nobody is going to be interested in our bellyaching."
