S.I. No. 112/1975:

OIREACHTAS (ALLOWANCES TO MEMBERS) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1975.

OIREACHTAS (ALLOWANCES TO MEMBERS) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1975.

I, RICHIE RYAN, Minister for Finance, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 3 of the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) Act, 1962 (No. 32 of 1962), hereby make the following regulations:

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) (Amendment) Regulations, 1975.

(2) The Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) Regulations, 1963 to 1965, and these Regulations may be cited together as the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) Regulations, 1963 to 1975.

2. In these Regulations "the Principal Regulations" means the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) Regulations, 1963 ( S.I. No. 4 of 1963 ).

3. Regulation 3 of the Principal Regulations is hereby amended by the substitution for paragraph (b) (inserted by the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) (Amendment) Regulations, 1963 ( S.I. No. 276 of 1963 )) of the following:

" ( b ) trunk calls shall not be made except to numbers within the State, and, except in the case of a particular number in the member's constituency selected by the member and notified by him to the Clerk of Dáil Éireann, shall not exceed six minutes.".

4. Regulation 4 of the Principal Regulations is hereby amended by the substitution for paragraph (b) (inserted by the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) (Amendment) Regulations, 1963) of the following:

" ( b ) trunk calls shall not be made except to numbers within the State, and, except in the case of a particular number selected by the member and notified by him to the Clerk of Seanad Éireann, shall not exceed six minutes.".

5. (1) The restrictions contained in paragraphs (c) and (d) of Regulation 5 of the Principal Regulations, as amended by the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) (Amendment) Regulations, 1963, the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) (Amendment) Regulations, 1964 ( S.I. No. 50 of 1964 ), and the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) (Amendment) Regulations, 1965 ( S.I. No. 180 of 1965 ), shall, as respects members of Dáil Éireann, have effect subject to the following qualifications:

(i) where the member concerned applies for the weekly issue to him of Official Paid envelopes, the Clerk of Seanad Éireann shall each week issue to the member concerned not more than fifty such envelopes;

(ii) Official Paid envelopes issued in accordance with any such application may be posted by the member himself.

(2) The restrictions contained in paragraphs (c) and (d) of Regulation 5 of the Principal Regulations, as amended by the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) (Amendment) Regulations, 1963, and the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) (Amendment), Regulations, 1964, shall, as respects members of Seanad Éireann, have effect subject to the following qualifications:

(i) where the member concerned applies for the weekly issue to him of Official Paid envelopes, the Clerk of Seanad Éireann shall each week issue to the member concerned not more than twenty such envelopes;

(ii) Official Paid envelopes issued in accordance with any such application may be posted by the member himself.

6. (1) The qualifications specified in paragraph 2 of the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) (Amendment) Regulations, 1965, shall cease to have effect in relation to members of Dáil Éireann.

(2) The qualifications specified in paragraph 2 of the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) (Amendment) Regulations, 1964, shall cease to have effect in relation to members of Seanad Éireann.

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 26th day of May, 1975.

RICHIE RYAN,

Minister for Finance.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations--

(i) provide for an increase from 20 to 50 per week in the number of Official Paid envelopes for members of Dáil Éireann during sessions of the Dáil;

(ii) extend the free trunk call facility for members of the Dáil and Seanad subject to a limit of six minutes per call;

(iii) modify the restrictions on postal facilities granted to these members.