EXPENSES paid for overseas political junkets will increase from today by up to 30pc for some cities.

As the economy continues to struggle, TDs and senators have been granted an increase in the amount of expenses they can claim.

Although Finance Minister Brian Lenihan has warned politicians and civil servants that only essential travel should be undertaken, he is to give them extra money if they do travel abroad.

The expenses paid to public servants and member of the Oireachtas are un-vouched and tax-free, meaning they can claim the maximum amount each time even, if their actually costs are much less.

For example, the allowance for travelling to London has increased from €152 to €198 a day.

Politicians making trips to Brussels for EU meetings can stay in any hotel they like, no matter what the cost, and receive €116.50 per working day to cover food, travel and other expenditure.

Italy is one of the most lucrative for allowances with €291 for accommodation, plus €145 per day for those attending conferences in cities including Bologna, Florence, Milan and Venice.

Rome and Naples have lower expenses rates of €227 for accommodation plus an allowance of €113.50 per day in un-vouched expenses.

One of the poorer paying countries is the United States, where although the hotel room will be covered, the daily allowance could be less than €100, depending on the state. The amounts paid there range from between €81 and €136.

Allowance

Closer to home, Paris pays much better with a nightly allowance of €292 on top of €146 for each day.

A circular advising public servants of the increases was posted on the Department of Finance website last week.

"Expenditure on travel and subsistence must continue to be strictly appraised and monitored," it read.

"Officers who travel abroad should limit reimbursable expenditure to the minimum consistent with the requirements of the visit.

"Heads of departments should continue to ensure that only essential travel is undertaken and that the number of officers on any official journey is kept to the absolute minimum," the circular warned.

TDs and senators claimed almost €6m in expenses in the first six months of this year. More than half of all TDs claimed expenses from January to May of sums greater than the average annual industrial wage.

- Kevin Doyle