Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We have had a very wide-ranging discussion that goes well beyond the scope of not just the amendment, but of the Bill. I will respond as best I can.

Deputy Sean Fleming spoke about a dissolution as mentioned in section 12. It is plainly the fact that the will of the people as determined in a general election cannot be fulfilled where the party ceases to exist. We cannot pay for the parliamentary activities of a non-existent party so provision must be made for that. If an amalgamation of parties were to take place, it seems reasonable and sensible that we would have provision in law for that amalgamation to be supported in its parliamentary activities.

In response to Deputy Naughten's points, I did not mention the issue of changing in mid-stream. I dealt with that in covering the equality issue. Where it is understood that there is a proper - I believe Deputy Creighton agreed - rebalancing to be made between the supports for parliamentary activities to be given between Government and Opposition, I have heard nobody resile from that principle. Obviously, where the structure of Government changes in the course of a Parliament, that tipping in terms of equality must take place and did take place at the time of the change in Government in 1994. That is the norm in terms of-----