Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

Dr. Byrne stated that from 1997 to 2007 Fianna Fáil received 35% of its income from property and construction interests. The Progressive Democrats received 34%. Dr. Byrne has stated it appears "the property barons of the 1990s and 2000s replaced the beef barons of the 1980s." Was the financing of political parties at the time wider than this? Is Dr. Byrne aware that in the 1990s there was substantial controversy about the financing of the Fine Gael Party relative to the second mobile phone licence and that in 2000, €50,000 each was donated to three major parties, namely, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Progressive Democrats, by a single business donor? Is it the case that instead of having sectionalised interests, we have party-supporting big capitalists in general who underwrite the system, which allows them to make substantial profits on an ongoing basis?