Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The Taoiseach describes the means by which this will be done as being in the form of additional voluntary contributions from the congregations. What will happen if some of the congregations do not make such contributions? Two or three of the 18 congregations have indicated their intentions. If some of the other congregations do not play ball in the context of what the Taoiseach refers to as the "process of engagement", what will be the position? Does the Government have at its disposal a mechanism it can use to cause contributions to be made by those congregations that do not step up to the plate?

In advance of talking to the congregations, the Taoiseach may not want to divulge his hand but if the additional voluntary contributions are not substantial, does the Government know what it would consider a satisfactory level of further contribution? Will the Taoiseach hear what the congregations say and the offer they make and accept it if the offer sounds good enough? Is this entirely in the hands of the congregations or does the Government have an idea of what should be the level of contribution?

Is it the intention of the Taoiseach that, unlike what happened in 2002, whatever is concluded with the congregations should be considered by the House? It is the view of the Labour Party that this should happen. As the Taoiseach said, there must be a basis by which the public can assess whether the level of contribution is appropriate having regard to the assets of the institutions. Will an audit be carried out by somebody on the assets and the ability of the congregations to make a contribution and the level of contribution they can make?

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