Published Date:
07 April 2009
ALMOST £2million in taxpayer-funded salaries and allowances was paid out to 12 politicians representing two Co Tyrone constituencies in a single year.
As the controversy surrounding payments to politicians grows, this newspaper can reveal the amount splashed out by both Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly to our elected representatives.
Our two constituencies - Fermanagh/South Tyrone and Mid-Ulster - are each served by six MLAs. They include Michelle Gildernew and Martin McGuinness who 'double-job' as MPs for either area.
Since Ms Gildernew or Mr McGuinness do not take their seats in Parliament they don't receive a salary, however both are entitled to claim a range of Westminster expenses.
In total the pair received £274,508 in parliamentary allowances last year despite not sitting a single day in the House of Commons.
The expenses to each of the UK's 646 MPs were published last Monday and reveal how Ms Gildernew ran up a £138,272 allowances bill from the House of Commons during 2007/08, while Mr McGuinness claimed a further £136,236.
Read the full story in this week's issue of the Tyrone Times - the fastest growing weekly in the UK!
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Last Updated:
10 April 2009 4:09 PM
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Source:
Tyrone Times
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Location:
Dungannon
