Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Minister for Employment and Social Protection Regina Doherty. Leah Farrell via RollingNews.ie
shortchanged

Minister Regina Doherty will have to repay €16k chief whip allowance

The allowance, paid to the current Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty, was found to have “no legal basis”.

MINISTER FOR SOCIAL Protection Regina Doherty will have to pay back an allowance of almost €16,000 that she received last year.

The decision was taken to revoke the allowance – paid when Doherty was the government’s chief whip – following advice from the Attorney General.

The decision taken by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to pay the allowance was found to have “no legal basis”.

The issue was first brought to light in the Dáil by Labour leader Brendan Howlin in June this year, where he claimed that the payment to Doherty was unlawful under existing legislation.

“The Whip was paid an allowance of €15,829 for her role as government whip,” Howlin said.

No such position exists under law… the allowance was paid to the government whip on the understanding that the government whip was actually being paid for her responsibilities as Fine Gael whip.

“This might seem like a technical and minor matter, however under the law no allowance can be paid to a party whip, if that person is a minister or a minister of state. This means that one cannot pay such an allowance to the new government chief whip.”

A source confirmed that this has been confirmed to Doherty and that arrangements are being made for repayment.

The current Government Chief Whip Joe McHugh isn’t entitled to the allowance either.

Read: Regina Doherty may have to repay €15,829 of Chief Whip allowance if it was unlawful

Read: Minister says Public Services Card is ‘not compulsory but is mandatory for services’

Your Voice
Readers Comments
83
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

    Leave a commentcancel