Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)

I support this motion placed on the agenda by the Green Party and wish to address the issues raised in the final three paragraphs of the motion. With regard to contributions from developers and their acceptance by politicians, it can be argued that this motion does not go far enough. Politics and political parties should be State funded and all contributions should be banned. I do not accept that State funding must, of necessity, be related to votes garnered in a previous election. If the political will existed, we could have the wit to develop a system of fair State funding.

I recall when I became involved in local government in the early 1970s, the Kenny report was published and was a key issue at the time. Many, if not all, officials in local authorities looked forward to the implementation of the report. Unfortunately, that has not happened but it should happen now. It has not happened because many of the political parties are wedded to developers of all kinds.

In recent years, enormous housing estates have been developed with no real reference to community facilities, green areas, community halls, sporting facilities and so on. That has given rise to continual occurrences of anti-social behaviour and creates problems for families living in such estates. Housing estates should be properly designed to include community and sporting facilities.

Fine Gael and the Labour Party tabled amendments to the original motion which do not appear to be contradictory. I would have preferred to see them tabled as addenda rather than amendments.

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