Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)

I had to apologise to the Joint Committee on Education and Science, of which I am Chairman, for leaving it to come here, but I felt it was important to comment on this issue. I reiterate the Green Party's absolute confidence in the Mahon tribunal. I come from a constituency that is very much the focus of the workings of the tribunal, which has alleged, and in some cases demonstrated, corrupt practices by councillors from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. If an Opposition party wants to cast aspersions, it should at least start from the position of being on high moral ground. Unfortunately, that is not the case. To my mind, the only person with any real morality in a leadership position in Fine Gael over the past number of years is Deputy Michael Noonan, because, at some cost to Fine Gael's electoral prospects, he abolished corporate donations within the party. He said Fine Gael would not take corporate donations.

Unfortunately, this was reversed. The coffers of Fine Gael have grown once again. As Members know, the Green Party does not take such donations. It is always in the halfpenny place when trying to compete with Fine Gael on the ground. That is unfortunate, but it is the way things stand. If Fine Gael wants to convince the larger parties, be it Fianna Fáil or the Labour Party, which takes generous trade union donations, that this is not the way to go and that political decisions must be seen to be taken without a hint of influence, it should, as the main Opposition party, show leadership, abolish corporate donations and fight with one hand tied behind its back as the Green Party does at election time.

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