Inflation hits Leinster House as TDs face price hikes at Dáil bar and restaurant
TDs and Senators have been hit with a price hike on the cost of food in the Dáil bar and restaurant but avoided any increase in the price of wine.The new menu prices were introduced in November, but dining bills remain comfortably lower than anything politicians could expect to pay on the nearby streets of Dublin 2.In the Members’ Restaurant, soup at lunch is priced at €5.50, up from €5 previously.On the afternoon menu, deep-fried calamari with lemon and garlic aioli did cost €8 but has been raised to €9.50.READ MORESnow and big freeze could hit Ireland after weeks of wet weather, says Met Éireann forecasterSix Nations: Cian Prendergast in line to join brother Sam in Ireland side to play France‘How dare you’: South Dublin residents vent at plan to redesignate golf amenities for housing How moving to France has drastically changed my Irish attitude to drinkingA prime beef burger was €12 on the old menu; however, now TDs and Senators must fork out €13.80.All desserts were repriced at €5.80, an increase of €0.80 on the €5 that was being charged to Oireachtas members.The current menu includes a mixed berry crumble, strawberry cheesecake, a selection of ice-cream, or a fruit salad for the health conscious.Altogether, a soup, main and a treat afterwards in the restaurant comes in at just over €25, about €3 above last year’s prices.Many nearby cafes and casual restaurants charge €15 to €18 for just a main course, and an equivalent three-course meal would be unlikely to cost less than €30.Meals and drinks at the Dáil venues are not directly subsidised, an Oireachtas spokesman said previously, but prices reflect the fact that utility bills and other overheads driving up prices for other restaurants are covered centrally in the parliamentary complex.In the evening, parliamentarians can still enjoy a chargrilled sirloin or rib-eye steak – with fries – for just €20.50.However, that price jumped €2.50 during the price increases late last year.Grilled lamb cutlets were available for just €16 on the old menu but have been replaced with a pan-roasted lamb rump that costs €18.50.Thankfully for those who enjoy a tipple with their meal, the price of wine remained unchanged.The cost of a glass of the Oireachtas merlot or sauvignon blanc remains at €6.60, according to records released under Freedom of Information.The old price of €25 for a full bottle was also retained.It was a similar story of price hikes in the Members’ Bar, where more informal dining options are available for TDs and Senators.The price of lunchtime soup rose from €2.70 to €3, while the bill for a plate of smoked salmon jumped from €10 to €11.50.The typical cost of a main dish went from €12 to €13.80, though cheaper options and other light bites were available.“Sweet treats” remained keenly priced at €5.20 compared with €4.50 before the increases were introduced.In the evening, those looking to enjoy a gourmet beef burger in the Members’ Bar faced one of the steepest rises.The price of that meal leapt from €12 to €15 while a house chicken Caesar salad rose from €9 to €11.50.Asked about the changes, a spokeswoman said: “The price increases came into effect in November 2025 on foot of a decision of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission.”
