Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)

The Government must introduce legislation. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, is introducing legislation on local election reform, providing, for the first time, for a 60 day spending limit in local elections. This is a welcome measure, as is the move to tackle Members' expenses and the payment of the pension levy by Members. There will be other sacrifices and, while the public will not be satisfied with this, at least it can see that this shower is taking some of the pain. It is not just a case of whipping oneself on the back for the sake of it. When one is taking leadership positions, one must ensure that people are not scoffing behind one's back, commenting that the party has been dipping into the pot.

The Taoiseach is the only individual who can take leadership and ban corporate donations. They may have served Fianna Fáil and other parties well in the past, and it may be fair to say that people have a right to donate in the democratic process, but we must learn from this mistake and end it immediately. There must be no more dirt in the political system, no more. The Taoiseach is not in the House, and I do not expect him to respond to this idiotic Deputy's comments.

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