John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)

The issue is the level of restrictions on the Freedom of Information Act 1997. That was an exception which came out clearly because the point of sale material had to be withdrawn. Let us be honest about it. The point of sale clearly indicated that a Fianna Fáil person was voting on the terminal. How could that mistake have been made in this day and age? We are talking about taxpayers' money.

The Government has learnt nothing, but we in Fine Gael might be able to help it. The Fianna Fáil 1997 manifesto said that the party had the opportunity to restore the people's confidence in the process of Government and to address frankly the demands to eradicate all unethical conduct from public life. That stands as an indictment of Fianna Fáil and all the mistrust it has sown among the people. I will spare the blushes of the Progressive Democrats Party which promised to be the moral watchdog of Fianna Fáil.

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