McFadden tops expenses list in constituency

In just over 10 months, between last February's general election and the end of 2011, the four TDs representing the Longford/Westmeath constituency shared over €154,000 in expenses. The highest expenses claimant in the constituency was Athlone Fine Gael TD Nicky McFadden, who received €49,143 in vouched expenses between February 25 and December 31, 2011. The next highest expenses recipient in the constituency was Fianna Fail's Deputy Robert Troy, who was paid €48,643 in vouched expenses from the time of his election to the Dáil until the end of last year. Fine Gael's Deputy James Bannon was paid €40,542 in unvouched expenses during the same period, while Deputy Willie Penrose was entitled to a smaller sum in expenses (€15,757) because of the higher basic salary he received during his time serving as a Minister of State representing the Labour party. The three TDs in the Roscommon/South Leitrim constituency, Deputy Denis Naughten (Independent, ex-Fine Gael), Luke 'Ming' Flanagan (Independent) and Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) each received an identical sum - €49,911 - in expenses between the election and the end of the year. The expenses each TD received included both a travel and accommodation allowance (the total of which is calculated based on the distance between the politician's constituency and the Dáil) and a public representation allowance, which can be vouched or unvouched. The public representation allowance can cover office rent, rates, utilities, insurance, improvements and cleaning. It can also cover telephone calls, computer costs, distribution of leaflets, advertising and conference attendance. A total of 34 Dáil members (roughly one in five) received more than €50,000 in expenses between February 25 and December 31, 2011. The highest expenses claimant in the country during this period was Noel Harrington, a Fine Gael TD from Cork South West, who received over €53,000.