TDs and senators living more than 20 miles from Dublin are to be given a £58 overnight allowance for attendance at Leinster House on Thursdays even if they return home that night.
All Oireachtas members are also to receive a new annual allowance £2,000 for TDs and £1,000 for senators for phone calls made in their constituencies. Under the present system they have to submit detailed claims for such calls.
The changes have emerged from the extra £500,000 allotted in the Budget for additional allowances for TDs and senators.
Some TDs have been campaigning for an overnight Thursday allowance on the grounds that they often have meetings and other parliamentary business after the Dail finishes official business. Overnight allowances were formerly allowed on Thursdays but were ended when the Dail sitting was shortened several years ago.
The 20 mile definition of a "country" TD or senator has long been seen as outdated and as giving an unfair advantage to those living within easy driving distance of Dublin.