TDs and senators may not have to attend the Dail and Seanad for a minimum number of days this year to receive their full expenses, it has emerged.
Last week the Houses of the Oireachtas confirmed that the fobbing system it uses to record attendance was suspended at the start of March and has not been reinstated.
It is awaiting guidance from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform about whether expenses paid to TDs and senators as part of their travel and accommodation allowance (TAA) during the pandemic will have to be recouped at the end of the year.
TDs and senators usually have to attend the Dail or Seanad for at least 120 days in a calendar year to receive the full TAA