The Government has won a Dáil vote to pass the Budget estimate for the running of the Houses of the Oireachtas, including politicians' expenses, without debate.
Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil and the Technical Group had objected to a Dáil motion being passed without debate.
The estimate includes all expenses around running the Oireachtas, including salaries of members and office holders, and their expenses.
Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald said these were issues such as allowances and it was unacceptable that these things would be put through "on the nod".
Barry Cowen of Fianna Fáil said he also rejected the idea of not having a debate.
Speaking on behalf of the Technical Group, People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said people were fearful about the forthcoming Budget, and that there should be full accountability around expenditure of the House and expenses.
He said they should be debated in full public view.
Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said the motion was required to be passed by the end of October and today was the last opportunity to do so. The next Dáil sitting is in November.
Mr Gilmore said the Government was agreeable to debating the Oireachtas estimate at the earliest opportunity.
Meanwhile, Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett said that when deputies saw the estimate, they would see savings had been made into the millions.
The matter was put to a vote, which the Government won by 66 to 40.
