Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

I thank the Tánaiste for her reply. I do not seek to entrap her into committing to any specific undertaking in this exchange. However, it seems that a very minimalist Bill could be brought before the House. My party has drafted such a Bill and the Tánaiste might be interested in making time available for its discussion. It would require the very basic preconditions for public funding and would exert them equally across the board in the House. In the light of recent events the taxpayers would be horrified to find their money being intermingled with money from such nefarious causes as we have seen for the purposes of funding any political party in the State or in this House. In those circumstances, I ask the Tánaiste if she would be prepared to examine basic legislation along the lines I have suggested that would not seek to exert punishment or penalty on anyone. Rather it would be a charter to which all of us in this House must subscribe if we want to avail of public resources for our parliamentary duties or political activity.

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