Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)

Spending money on food and drink for election workers was never part of the spending limits. I have not read the provisions of this law, but one would not need that much money to get elected to a town or borough council. Only a handful of votes are needed to get elected to town councils like Belturbet. I would have thought that a limit of €2,000 would be in order, but I will go with the Minister as he has looked at this in detail and I have not done so. He has examined the issue with the environment committee so I will have to accept his judgment, but I think €7,500 for a town or borough council is three times what any sensible person would spend. I will obviously accept the Minister's advice and the Government's decision on this, but maybe he will listen to what I am saying.

It is good that the limits for county council elections apply to 60 days before the election. A legitimate front-loading of expenditure existed before spending limits came in, and I would have done that myself. When the election period has started, it is quite strict. If one looks at the spending returns, one notices that a lot of money within the general election limits was not spent. The money I spent in that three week period was below the limit for a three-seater constituency. I assume the Minister will have looked at those, and I think one would have to be doing very well to be able to spend these figures in a local election.

The cost of posters is high. Most of us get them from this country, although not every political party does so. If there is a provision in law that requires the printer of the poster to be named on it, this should be vigorously enforced. If it is not in law, then I ask the Minister to include it.

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