Fiach MacConghail (Independent)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for reminding me. The Bill also includes the notion of corporate donations. I respond to Senators Keane, O'Keeffe and Hayden who made very good arguments in respect of corporate donations. However, they forgot to mention there is a balance in the Bill in terms of regulation, responsibility and disclosure that the Standards in Public Office Commission would enforce. It is not that we are banning corporate donations and letting everything fly around and hope there might be, as Deputy Keane suggested, a circumvention. There would not be a circumvention because we would empower the Standards in Public Office Commission to monitor that. The Minister mentioned a Bill he will introduce on expenditure. The whole notion is that political expenditure and private donations would all be accounted for publicly. Later we will propose another amendment on disclosure. The notion that banning corporate donations will create another problem is to ignore the instruments in the Bill that will allow that balance to occur. If we take a holistic approach - this is where the Minister comes in, particularly in local government reform - our job and that of the Government is to encourage increased political participation and change political culture. Banning corporate donations is only one small part of that. To answer Senator Mullen's question, I am not suggesting that private donations should be banned or discouraged. Citizens' donations will encourage activism, increase freedom of speech and participation. As happened with President Obama's last election, a smaller amount of donations encourages a greater sense of collectivity, activism and a shared voice. Banning corporate donations levels the playing pitch. In terms of Senator Hayden's view, we should look to the future. Local government reform which will allow for increased local participation will politicise men and women and encourage a more transparent level playing pitch. Banning corporate donations should be a part of that and remind Senators that the quid pro quo is that the Standards in Public Office Commission will require teeth to ensure expenditure is accounted for, including not only our salary but our leader's allowance.