Doherty criticises secrecy around Ministers' 'laundry allowance'
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has today defended a tax break for Ministers, despite promising to abolish it while in Opposition.
The Dual Abode Allowance allows 13 Ministers from outside Dublin claim up to €6,500 each for having a second home in the city.
If a Minister stays in a hotel, they can claim up to €3,500 for having his or her laundry done.
Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty said there is a complete secrecy around the scheme.
"Ministers have to write to the Revenue Commissioners and ask that their income tax is written down by an amount which can be unvouched up to €6,500," he said.
"Let me tell you from the Revenue Commissioner what that includes.
"If a Minister decides to by a house in Dublin, all of the mortgage interest is written off against their tax bill. Their solicitor's fee is written off against their tax bill. Their auctioneer's fee is written off against their tax bill.
"And nobody knows whether you're one of the Ministers, one of the 13, who have availed of this here.
"How many of your Ministers have availed of the €3,500 laundry tax deduction because they have stayed in a hotel or a guesthouse?
"People deserve clarity, people deserve openness.
"All Oireachtas expenses that are available to TDs are published on the Oireachtas website. Nobody knows at this point in time which of the 13 Ministers are reducing their income tax bill by this scheme which you promised in Opposition to abolish when this gang [Fianna Fáil] was availing of it."
The Taoiseach responded: "Ministers are entitled to an allowance of €6,000, which is tax, which they can claim at 41%, which is about €3,500.
"You yourself, as a rural Deputy, are in a position to claim about €30,000 or over depending are, depending on what your overnight allowances are, or more."
