David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)

May I clarify a point I made earlier about students' unions? I was referring to the funding of student societies, whether political, sporting or cultural by students' unions. I was not talking about corporate donations. Students' unions have their own mechanisms and controls for how the money is administered and there is fairness and equity for the various groups. That is what this is about, and not corporate donations to student bodies.

I must have touched a nerve when I referred to expenses for Independent Senators and Deputies, given the response from Senator Norris. My point was that Independent Deputies receive the leader's allowance of €45,000, and some of them are giving the money to charity. One independent TD in my constituency gives the money to charity. That is not right. That is a way of buying votes, to be frank about it. I call for vouched expenses. If there is to be a leader's allowance for independent TDs, then it should be vouched. If Senator Norris is saying that should not be the case, that those allowances should not be vouched and that independent Senators can spend this money on whatever they like, that is a matter for him. It is not something I support.

In respect of Senator Norris's point on what he called the hogwash about the average industrial wage - Senator Bradford also made this point - I am proud that I take the average industrial wage. Our party put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to reduce the pay of politicians. That is what we should do, but that amendment was defeated.