Eleven politicians so far have availed of an allowance put in place to improve security at the homes and offices of TDs and senators, with payments made of just over €25,500 in total.
The security requirements allowance (SRA) was introduced in 2023 amid growing fears in recent years for the safety of politicians.
Under the scheme, TDs or Senators can claim for security costs including intruder alarms, panic buttons, CCTV or higher walls or security lights once such measures are advised by a Garda crime prevention officer.
There was low uptake of the scheme in its first 1½ years of operation.
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Eleven politicians received payments totalling €25,543, with just one claiming the former maximum payment of €5,000 during the last five months of 2024.
A review of the scheme late last year increased the cap on payments to €25,000 per recipient.
Correspondence released under Freedom of Information shows how former Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl sought changes to the SRA scheme last September.
In a letter to then-minister for Public Expenditure, Paschal Donohoe, Mr Ó Fearghaíl outlined how a report by the taskforce on safe participation in public life recommended a review of the SRA “to ensure that it sufficiently meets the requirements of members”.
Mr Ó Fearghaíl mentions a “relatively low uptake” and adds: “feedback from Members suggests that the low ceiling of the reimbursement (50 per cent of expenditure, up to a maximum of €5,000), along with the requirement to co-fund any works, is a significant disincentive to availing of the allowance.”
He outlined how the UK’s House of Commons operates a security assistance scheme that is not capped and its MPs are not required to make a contribution.
Mr Ó Fearghaíl added that the Garda “highlight the concerning security environment with particular emphasis on violent political extremism, and the demonstrable impact this has on the security of elected representatives”.
He also wrote: “The recent experiences of candidates in the local and European elections while canvassing bear this out and, as you will be aware, increased incidents of aggressive protest, intimidation, assault and harassment have occurred over the past couple of years.”
An Garda Síochána was said to have “indicated its commitment to fully supporting the recommendations” in the taskforce report, and “expressed the view that full cost recovery in respect of works carried out based on Garda security review recommendations would be a welcome development”.
Mr Ó Fearghaíl wrote that the safety of Oireachtas members, their staff and the public is “of paramount concern”. He asked Mr Donohoe if he would “sanction revising the existing security allowance scheme to one of full vouched cost recovery of works carried out based on the Garda security review”.
Mr Donohoe replied in October, noting that the feedback from members suggests the terms of the scheme were a “significant disincentive to availing of the allowance”. He also mentioned the non-capped House of Commons scheme.
He said: “I therefore, support removing this [€5,000] cap” and he outlined how his officials had contacted those in the Houses of the Oireachtas “to confirm some further details related to the proposal”.
In November, Mr Donohoe wrote to Mr Ó Fearghaíl again and outlined how Oireachtas officials had contacted his department to agree the new €25,000 cap.
Mr Donohoe confirmed he would be amending the statutory instrument related to the SRA and Mr Ó Fearghaíl later wrote back thanking him for approving the proposals.
On December 12th, after the general election Mr Ó Fearghaíl wrote to all TDs to inform them of the improvements to the SRA scheme saying: “I trust that these enhancements to the Allowance will help to improve safety levels generally.”
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