Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The outcome of the process was announced and then brought to the Cabinet for noting. The Cabinet was given no opportunity, or did not insist on being given an opportunity, to have an input into the process. I have never served in the Cabinet, but I assume that on an issue of this importance, a report or an aide-mémoire would be placed before the Cabinet with a clear recommendation and a full report being set out. Members of the Cabinet would then have an opportunity to interrogate the report and ask questions of the relevant line Minister before deciding whether to accept the recommendation attached to it. Clearly, in this case the then Minister, Deputy Lowry, bypassed the normal procedure and members of the Cabinet allowed themselves to be bypassed and did not insist on having an input in the making of the final decision which was a matter for the Cabinet.

I will now speak about the conclusions and recommendations made in the report. I welcome what the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, has stated and the Taoiseach stated yesterday about initiatives to be taken in the areas of lobbyists, whistleblowers and strengthening the role of Dáil committees, which is essential. We can never again allow a situation where the Dáil passes a resolution, establishes a tribunal of inquiry to investigate urgent matters of national importance and then 14 years later a report arrives on the Minister's desk. This is not to level any criticism at Mr. Justice Moriarty or any of his legal team because great efforts were made by those subject to the inquiry to delay it at every opportunity. They succeeded in many regards and it was 14 years before the final report was issued. We can never allow this to happen again.

I welcome the fact that the Government is committed to bringing forward a comprehensive ban on corporate donations. However, we must ask ourselves whether this goes far enough. Would the intended legislation prevent a person from making a personal donation? What would prevent Mr. O'Brien or any of his employees from making large personal donations? Are these also to be banned or will we go as far as insisting that, irrespective of the monetary amount, all donations to politicians or parties, whether from personal, corporate or trade union sources, be published? This is a challenge to be faced up to by all parties and every Member of the House. Are we prepared to go this far to ensure proper transparency in the system of funding for political parties?

I welcome the fact that we are having this debate and that the report has been published, the findings of which should be accepted. I also welcome the fact that the report has been referred to the competent authorities. There are great lessons to be learned not only in terms of the process used for the awarding of a licence in this way but also on how politics are conducted and we can establish probes in the future to get to the bottom of issues such as this in a more efficient and cost-effective manner.

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