The seven TDs serving the people of Westmeath received more than €1m in salary and expenses last year.

According to figures from the House of the Oireachtas website, the four Longford Westmeath TDs and three Meath West representatives, which takes in north Westmeath, were paid a combined total of €1,023,398.48 in salary and expenses in 2012.

The Athlone-based deputy Nicky McFadden (FG) topped the pay charts with €151,338.08, which comprises her annual TD salary of €92,672 plus €58,666.08, or €4,888.84 a month, in vouched-for expenses plus her travel and accommodation allowance.

Second on the list is Fianna Fáil's Robert Troy, who received €150.222.08. Deputy Troy, who is his party spokesperson on children, received €57,550.08 in vouched for expenses and travel and accommodation.

Longford's sole TD, James Bannon (FG), received €140,638.04 in payments last year, while Willie Penrose, who is hoping to regain the Labour Party whip at Easter, finished at the bottom of the pay table for Longford Westmeath TDs, receiving €140,638.04 last year. Deputies Penrose and Bannon both opted for unvouched for expenses.

Over in the three-seat Meath West constituency, Fine Gael's Damien English received €148,722.08 in salary and expenses last year, while Sinn Féin's Peadar Tóibín and the Trim-based Fine Gael deputy, Ray Butler, each received €146,478.08. All three Meath West deputies chose vouched-for expenses.

Politicians on the vouched-for system are required to keep receipts of their spending. TDs who claim unvouched expenses are not required to keep receipts but are paid less.

The travel and accommodation costs paid to TDs are based on the distances between their homes and Leinster House.

Deputies who reside between 90 and 120km, such as Robert Troy and Willie Penrose, from Dublin receive €31,850 per annum as a travel and accommodation allowance, while TDs who live between 120 and 150km, away such as Deputy McFadden, receive €33,350.