Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I do not have any difficulties with section 6 but it allows me to raise one point. In this section the Minister reduces the donations that can be accepted by political parties and politicians in general. He is responding to concerns expressed by the public and by some politicians in recent years. We will never get this perfect because we do not live in a perfect world.

Somebody has to fund politics. Democracy is worth funding and if it is not funded privately it must be funded by the taxpayer. I do not believe we are ready yet to take that major step.

We are dealing here with one side of the coin, the funding of politics. The other side is expenditure by political parties and politicians and on this matter I seek the initial views of the Minister. I have no set view. As long as the Minister is a politician there will be a limit on the donations I can receive. On the other side of the equation, there is no limit as to how I spend my money as a politician, or how I can attempt to buy popularity by sponsoring clubs or associations, by advertising, having the biggest ad in the biggest newspaper and promoting myself in that regard. Privately wealthy people who practise politics can use their own money to get a competitive or political advantage over a candidate who does not have the same ability to sponsor the local soccer team or place big advertisements in the newspaper, and so on. In the future should we consider limiting what politicians can spend, by way of so-called donations or in advertising? This is basically a vote-seeking effort. I do not suggest that we should be prohibited absolutely from buying tickets, or whatever, but it is the other side of the equation. We are being obliged by law to accept only modest donations while people who are privately wealthy can use their money to buy sponsorship or advertising. It becomes a way of buying votes. This is probably something we should consider.

The public might decide that all politicians, who are believed to be so wealthy, have become so mean they will not even buy a ticket at the local GAA draw but we must find that balance. The Minister might have a view on this for the future.