POLITICAL PRESSURE mounted on Beverley Flynn last night in the controversy over the Mayo TD's declared intention to hold on to her €41,152 allowance for Independent TDs even though she has now rejoined Fianna Fáil.
Fianna Fáil's chief Coalition partner spoke out on the issue, with Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment John Gormley saying the controversy was sending out "a very bad signal".
"Ultimately, this is a matter for the deputy and her party to resolve," Mr Gormley told RTÉ News. "However, I would say that it sends out a very bad signal during these very difficult economic times and I welcome the fact that the Taoiseach has now said that he will discuss the matter with her.
"I'm not the moral custodian of those parties - Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael or any other party," he said. But he welcomed the fact that a meeting between Ms Flynn and Taoiseach Brian Cowen would be taking place soon.
Senior Green Party sources told The Irish Times that members of the organisation were "very exercised" about the matter and wanted steps to be taken. "There is an expectation there will be some action on it," said one source.
Meanwhile, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Éamon Ó Cuív told Today FM that Ms Flynn's decision to retain the allowance was "unwise".
"I think she's foolish," the Fianna Fáil Minister said on the Last Word programme.
"I heard the technical point that she has made but the reality is that she has now joined Fianna Fáil. It's unwise for her to claim that money."
The Minister also said the legislation should be examined: "It does seem farcical that somebody who gets elected as a party politician, even if they were to leave the party the following day, would not have the support of the party and not get the Independent's allowance, and vice versa, and I think that's an issue that has to be considered."
In an indirect reference to the controversy, Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan said on RTÉ's Morning Ireland that he wanted an across-the-board cut in allowances to Oireachtas members.
"What I will do as Minister for Finance is to reduce the amount of money available to them because I do understand the public unease at the amount of expenditure being spent on the perquisites of members of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann," he said.
Labour spokeswoman on the environment Joanna Tuffy urged Mr Cowen to halt the payment. "The Taoiseach must act to ensure that the payment of the Independents' allowance to Deputy Beverley Flynn ceases and that the regulations are changed to ensure that such a situation cannot happen again."
"The Taoiseach must follow though on his promise made on RTÉ Radio on Sunday, to 'take the matter up with her', with firm action. If he allows Deputy Flynn to defy him, his authority will be even further undermined," said Ms Tuffy.
The payment to Ms Flynn is made under the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Act 2001.
A TD who gets elected as an Independent and subsequently joins a party is paid as an Independent for the duration of the Dáil term. In the case of a TD who starts out as a party member but becomes an Independent, his or her former party continues to receive the payment until the next general election.
Joe Behan TD, who resigned from Fianna Fáil to become an Independent, said yesterday the party had retained his allowance.
"I wasn't even aware this allowance existed for Independents," he said. However he said he would not be "offering any advice" to Ms Flynn on the matter.
