Oireachtas (Miscellaneous Provisions) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act, 1996

What is this act about?

This law amends existing legislation concerning allowances for members of the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament) and ministerial/parliamentary offices. It primarily updates rules regarding overnight allowances, secretarial facilities, telephone allowances, and financial support for political parties and independent members.

Who it applies to: Members of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann; Registered political parties with members in either or both Houses of the Oireachtas.

At a glance

Country: Ireland
Area of law: Other legislation
Articles: 7
Source: irishstatutebook.ie
Text retrieved: 2026-06-17
Explanation updated: 2026-07-07

What does this act regulate?

Overnight allowances for members of Dáil Éireann or Seanad Éireann whose normal residence is outside the Dublin area.
Provision of secretarial facilities and telephone allowances for members of the Oireachtas.
Payments and indemnification for members of the Oireachtas or registered political parties regarding injuries sustained by secretarial assistants.
Annual allowances for qualifying political parties and independent members of Dáil Éireann for parliamentary activities.

Who does this act apply to?

Members of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann.
Registered political parties with members in either or both Houses of the Oireachtas.

What are the key points?

An overnight allowance is payable to members whose normal residence is outside the Dublin area for overnight stays related to parliamentary meetings, with a limit of 5 such meetings per year for certain types of discussions.
Members are entitled to secretarial facilities solely for parliamentary duties and a Constituency Telephone Allowance for parliamentary calls made outside Leinster House.
The Minister for Finance may make regulations for recouping or indemnifying members or parties for costs related to injuries sustained by secretarial assistants employed with funds from the Vote for the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas.
Annual allowances for parliamentary activities are paid to qualifying parties based on the number of Dáil Éireann members: £25,000 for up to 5 members, £20,000 for 6-10 members, £10,000 for 11-60 members, and £5,000 for over 60 members.
Qualifying parties forming or part of the Government have their combined allowances reduced by one-third.
Independent members of Dáil Éireann receive an annual allowance of £10,000 for parliamentary activities.
Allowances under this section cannot be used for election or poll expenses and are not liable to income tax.

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Radiological Protection (Amendment) Act 2018

Censorship of Films (Amendment) Act, 1925

Curragh of Kildare Act, 1961

Performers' Protection Act, 1968

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Other legislation

Legal text

Contents (7)

Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5
Section 6
Section 7

Oireachtas (Miscellaneous Provisions) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act, 1996 Skip to content Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Gaeilge Léim go dtí an t-ábhar Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach English Gaeilge English Produced by the Office of the Attorney General Táirgthe ag Oifig an Ard-Aighne Home Legislation Acts of the Oireachtas Statutory Instruments Pre-1922 Legislation Constitution External Resources Bills (Houses of the Oireachtas) Iris Oifigiúil / Official Gazette Revised Acts (LRC) Classified List of Legislation (LRC) Translations (acts.ie) Translations (Houses of the Oireachtas) Government Publications for Sale EU Law (EUR-Lex) FAQ Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Search Baile Reachtaíocht Achtanna an Oireachtais Ionstraimí Reachtúla Reachtaíocht Réamh-1922 Bunreacht Acmhainní Seachtracha Billí (Tithe an Oireachtais) Iris Oifigiúil Achtanna Athbhreithnithe (CAD) (An Coimisiún um Athchóiriú an Dlí) Liosta Rangaithe Reachtaíochta Aistriúcháin (achtanna.ie) Aistriúcháin (Tithe an Oireachtais) Foilseacháin Rialtais ar Díol Dlí AE (EUR-Lex) CCanna (Ceisteanna Coitianta) Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach Cuardach TitleTeideal Year(s) or rangeBliain nó blianta nó raon TypeCineál All Legislation Acts Statutory Instruments Advanced SearchCuardach Casta HomeBaile ActsAchtanna 1996 Oireachtas (Miscellaneous Provisions) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act, 1996 Oireachtas (Miscellaneous Provisions) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act, 1996 Permanent Page URL View by SectionAmharc de réir Ailt View Full ActAmharc ar an Acht Iomlán Bill History Stair Bille Commencement, Amendments, SIs made under the Act Tosach Feidhme, Leasuithe, IRí arna ndéanamh faoin Acht Open PDFOscail PDF Print Full ActPriontáil an tAcht Iomlán Number 39 of 1996 OIREACHTAS (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) AND MINISTERIAL AND PARLIAMENTARY OFFICES (AMENDMENT) ACT, 1996 ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS Section

Section 1

Definitions.

Section 2

Overnight allowance.

Section 3

Amendment of section 2 of Act of 1962.

Section 4

Payments, indemnification, etc., in respect of certain persons in employment.

Section 5

Allowances in respect of qualifying parties, etc.

Section 6

Non-application of section 4 of the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) Act, 1938.

Section 7

Short title, collective citation and commencement.

Number 39 of 1996 OIREACHTAS (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) AND MINISTERIAL AND PARLIAMENTARY OFFICES (AMENDMENT) ACT, 1996 AN ACT TO AMEND AND EXTEND THE OIREACHTAS (ALLOWANCES TO MEMBERS) ACTS, 1938 TO 1994, AND THE MINISTERIAL AND PARLIAMENTARY OFFICES ACTS, 1938 TO 1992, AND TO PROVIDE FOR CERTAIN LIABILITIES OF OR IN RESPECT OF MEMBERS OF THE HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS. [20th December, 1996] BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:

Definitions.

1.—In this Act— “the Act of 1962” means the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) Act, 1962 ; “registered political party” means a political party registered in the Registrar of Political Parties under section 25 of the Electoral Act, 1992 .

Overnight allowance.

2.—The Act of 1962 is hereby amended by the substitution of the following section for section 1: “1. (1) In this section— ‘the Dublin area’ means such area inclusive of the county borough of Dublin as may be declared by regulations to be for the purposes of this section the Dublin area; ‘Leinster House’ has the same meaning as it has in section 2 (inserted by the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act, 1992 ) of this Act; ‘member to whom this section applies’ means a member of Dáil Éireann or Seanad Éireann whose normal place of residence for the time being is not the Dublin area; ‘meeting’ means a meeting of— (a) Dáil Éireann or Seanad Éireann, or (b) a committee of Dáil Éireann or Seanad Éireann or a Committee of Dáil and Seanad Éireann of which the member to whom this section applies is a member, or (c) a meeting held in Leinster House between two or more members of either or both Houses of the Oireachtas to discuss parliamentary business.

(2)Subject to subsection (3) of this section, where a member to whom this section applies makes an overnight stay in the Dublin area because— (a) the member proposes to attend a meeting next day or (b) the member attends a meeting on any day to which subsection (2) (a) of this section does not apply, the member may be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas an overnight allowance in respect of accommodation of the amount for the time being sanctioned by the Minister for Finance for the purposes of this section.

(3)In the case of a meeting held in Leinster House to which paragraph (c) of the definition of ‘meeting’ relates, subsection (2) (a) of this section shall apply subject to— (a) payment of an overnight allowance being made in respect of not more than five such meetings per year, and (b) no payment being made if the member concerned is eligible for a payment by virtue of a meeting to which paragraph (a) or (b) of the definition of ‘meeting’ relates.”.

Amendment of section 2 of Act of 1962.

3.—Section 2 (inserted by the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act, 1992 ) of the Act of 1962 is hereby amended— (a) in subsection (1), by the insertion of the following paragraph after paragraph (b): “(c) secretarial facilities solely in connection with the member's parliamentary duties.”, and (b) by the substitution of the following for subsection (2): “(2) (a) A telephone allowance of such amount as may be prescribed shall be payable to a member of Dáil Éireann or Seanad Éireann or to a member of either House of the Oireachtas holding such position as may be prescribed in respect of telephone calls, otherwise than from Leinster House, arising from the member's parliamentary duties (to be known as a ‘Constituency Telephone Allowance’) subject to such exceptions, restrictions and conditions as may be prescribed. (b) In this section ‘prescribed’ means prescribed by regulations made by the Minister for Finance under section 3 of this Act.”.

Payments, indemnification, etc., in respect of certain persons in employment.

4.—(1) Where an injury is claimed to have been sustained by a person on or after the 1st day of January, 1993, and in respect of which— (a) the person sustained the injury in the course of employment as a secretarial assistant (whether or not referred to by such title) by a member of either House of the Oireachtas or by a registered political party which at the relevant time had members in either or both of those Houses, (b) such employment was remunerated by payments made from the Vote for the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas, and (c) proceedings were instituted prior to the commencement of regulations under subsection (2) of this section, then, the Minister for Finance may make regulations for the purpose of recouping, in whole or in part, to such member or party any award or settlement, together with the costs incurred.

(2)Where an injury is claimed to have been sustained by a person in respect of which— (a) the person sustained the injury in the course of employment as a secretarial assistant (whether or not referred to by such title) by a member of either House of the Oireachtas or by a registered political party which at the relevant time had members in either or both of those Houses, and (b) such employment was remunerated by payments made from the Vote for the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas, then, the Minister for Finance may by regulations provide for the payment by the Minister to, or indemnification by, the Minister of such member or registered political party in respect of any award or settlement, together with the costs, incurred as a result of proceedings instituted by a person employed under regulations made by that Minister under section 2 (1) (c) (inserted by this Act) of the Act of 1962.

Allowances in respect of qualifying parties, etc.

5.—The Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Act, 1938 , is hereby amended— (a) by the substitution for paragraph (g) of subsection (1) of section 8A (inserted by the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act, 1973 ) of the following: “(g) an annual sum payable pursuant to section 10 (inserted by the Oireachtas (Miscellaneous Provisions) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act, 1996) of this Act.”, (b) by the deletion of section 9 and section 9A (inserted by the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act, 1973 ), (c) by the substitution of the following for section 10: “10.—(1) In respect of expenses arising from the parliamentary activities, including research, of a qualifying party, there may be paid to the parliamentary leader of such party where he or she is a member of Dáil Éireann— (a) in respect of not more than 5 members of that party elected to Dáil Éireann at the last preceding general election as a member of that party or elected to Dáil Éireann as a member of that party at a subsequent bye-election, an annual allowance of £25,000 in respect of each such member, (b) in respect of more than 5 members but not more than 10 members of that party elected to Dáil Éireann at the last preceding general election as a member of that party or elected to Dáil Éireann as a member of that party at a subsequent bye-election, an annual allowance of £20,000 in respect of each such member, (c) in respect of more than 10 members but not more than 60 members of that party elected to Dáil Éireann at the last preceding general election as a member of that party or elected to Dáil Éireann as a member of that party at a subsequent bye-election, an annual allowance of £10,000 in respect of each such member, (d) in respect of more than 60 members of that party elected to Dáil Éireann at the last preceding general election as a member of that party or elected to Dáil Éireann as a member of that party at a subsequent bye-election, an annual allowance of £5,000 in respect of each such member.

(2)In the case of a qualifying party forming or forming part of the Government, the combined allowances under subsection (1) of this section shall be reduced by one-third.

(3)The total amount paid under subsection (1) of this section shall be reduced by such amount as the Minister for Finance may specify where the parliamentary leader of a qualifying party is provided with a vehicle, or a vehicle and driver, paid for out of public funds.

(4)Subject to subsection (8) of this section, there may be paid to a member of Dáil Éireann who at the preceding general election or at a subsequent bye-election was elected as a member of Dáil Éireann other than as a member of a qualifying party an annual allowance in connection with his or her parliamentary activities of £10,000.

(5)An allowance paid by virtue of this section shall not be used for, or to recoup, election or poll expenses incurred for the purposes of any election or poll held under— (a) the Electoral Acts, 1923 to 1990, or the Electoral Acts, 1992 and 1995, (b) the European Parliament Elections Acts, 1977 to 1993, (c) the Presidential Elections Acts, 1937 and 1992, or the Presidential Elections Acts, 1992 and 1993, (d) the Referendum Acts, 1942 to 1992, or the Referendum Acts, 1992 and 1994, (e) the Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) Acts, 1947 to 1972, or (f) the Seanad Electoral (University Members) Acts, 1937 to 1973.

(6)An allowance paid by virtue of this section shall not be liable to income tax.

(7)No allowance under this section shall be paid or be payable in respect of the period in office of the Ceann Comhairle where at the last preceding general election or at a subsequent bye-election he or she was elected as a member of Dáil Éireann— (a) other than as a member of a qualifying party, or (b) as a member of a qualifying party but is the only member of the qualifying party so elected.

(8)An allowance, other than an allowance under subsection (4) of this section, which is payable by virtue of this section shall be paid in addition to any other allowance or salary payable to a member under the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) Acts, 1938 to 1996, or the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Acts, 1938 to 1996.

(9)Allowances payable by virtue of this section shall, in respect of each member of Dáil Éireann, be calculated for each week the person was at any time during that week a member thereof, and it shall be paid— (a) to each qualifying parliamentary party leader at the time of payment, or (b) where subsection (4) of this section applies, to each member concerned, for such period in arrears as the Minister for Finance considers appropriate.

(10)In this section ‘qualifying party’ means a political party registered in the Register of Political Parties under section 25 of the Electoral Act, 1992 , which contested the last preceding general election or any subsequent bye-elections and which had a member or members elected to Dáil Éireann at that general election or at any subsequent bye-election.”, and (d) by the deletion of section 11.

Non-application of section 4 of the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) Act, 1938 .

6.—

Section 4

(4)of the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) Act, 1938 , shall be deemed not to apply or have applied in respect of claims made by any member of either House of the Oireachtas under the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) (Travelling Facilities) (Amendment) Regulations, 1994 ( S.I. No. 343 of 1994 ), for a journey undertaken at any time between the 10th day of July, 1994, and the 15th day of November, 1994.

Short title, collective citation and commencement.

7.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Oireachtas (Miscellaneous Provisions) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act, 1996.

(2)The Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) Acts, 1938 to 1994, and this Act, other than section 5 and subsection (3) of this section, may be cited together as the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) Acts, 1938 to 1996.

(3)The Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Acts, 1938 to 1992, section 5 of this Act and this section (other than subsection (2)) may be cited together as the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Acts, 1938 to 1996.

(4)This Act shall be deemed to have come into operation on the 1st day of January, 1996, and any payments made after that date and before the passing of this Act by virtue of a provision amended by this Act shall be deemed to have been duly paid under the provision as amended by this Act.

Acts Referred to Electoral Act, 1992 1992, No. 23 Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Acts, 1938 to 1992 Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Act, 1938 1938, No. 38 Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) Act, 1938 to 1994 Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) Act, 1938 1938, No. 34 Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) Act, 1962 1962, No. 32 Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act, 1973 1973, No. 22 Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial, Parliamentary and Judicial Offices (Amendment) Act, 1983 1983, No. 32 Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act, 1992 1992, No. 3 Privacy Statement Accessibility European Legislation Identifier (PDF) Open Data License Ráiteas Príobháideachais Inrochtaineacht Aitheantóir Eorpach Reachtaíochta (ELI) Ceadúnas Sonraí Oscailte Liosta Fianán © Government of Ireland. Oireachtas Copyright Material is reproduced with the permission of the Houses of the Oireachtas © Rialtas na hÉireann. Atáirgtear ábhar faoi Chóipcheart le cead ó Thithe an Oireachtais

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