Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

That is precisely what is wrong with Irish politics and what breeds the cynicism we have. I did not make any lurid allegations against the Taoiseach. I did not ask him about any of the details of 1993 or 1994. I asked him two fundamental questions, neither of which he has answered. Can he explain to the Irish people how he applies a different standard to everybody else than he applies to himself? He stood up and quite rightly accepted the McCracken tribunal report. He spoke, knowing in his heart, mind and soul that he was the recipient of €50,000 in cash donations. He told everybody in the nation at large that this should not apply in the case of public representatives. How can he explain that he applies a standard to himself that is different to that applied to everyone else?

Is the Taoiseach not man enough to stand up and say, "Yes, I was wrong"? Double standards were applied here. He knew he was in receipt of those donations but did not regularise the position after he became Taoiseach, the most powerful office in the land. One does not need legislation on a matter of conscience. One knows it is either right or wrong. One does not need any code of morality or ethics. Is the Taoiseach prepared to admit that the acceptance of €50,000 in cash donations by him was wrong?

I listened to a number of Ministers — Deputies Hanafin, O'Dea, O'Donoghue, Roche and Brennan — all refuse to answer the question as to whether they considered the Taoiseach was wrong. Nobody on that side of the House is prepared to accept any responsibility. Nobody is prepared to say, "Yes, this was wrong" or "I admit I was wrong" and from the new Tánaiste, the silence is deafening. Nobody accepts responsibility or accountability and that is what diminishes the status of the Taoiseach's office, the highest in the land.

The Taoiseach spoke last night about receiving "£8,000" at a function in Manchester. As I understand the green book that applies to ministerial responsibility, it is strictly and completely forbidden to accept any donations or pecuniary reward for personal use, as a Minister. It seems as if, in that confused statement, the Taoiseach was using the office — if he was a Minister at the time — as some kind of nixer for reward and that should not be. In that respect, was that money paid in sterling, punts or euro? Was the Taoiseach a Minister in Cabinet at the time? Did he pay tax on this money and were any of the Cabinet rules breached by virtue of the fact that he received it?

There are three fundamental issues. How does the Taoiseach apply different standards to himself than to everybody else? Is he prepared to admit that what he did was wrong? Will he deal with the issue of the moneys received by him at the Manchester function?

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