Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I welcome the fact the Taoiseach has joined us in the Chamber and will participate in this question and answer session.

Yesterday, the Taoiseach said the Cabinet had directed the relevant Departments to provide a comprehensive report to it within four weeks on the Moriarty report's recommendations so that appropriate action can be taken. What actions are being contemplated? Has any specific action been contemplated already? Will these departmental reports be published and brought before the Dáil for its consideration?

The Taoiseach promised to bring forward legal and constitutional provisions to ban corporate donations to political parties? When will these provisions be introduced?

What steps have been considered to protect the public interest and ordinary citizens from any adverse outcomes in actions taken by those who believe they were wronged in the second mobile telephone licence award? This is a legitimate concern. Citizens have already been wronged in the process. It is unacceptable that this may be compounded by our citizens having to take up any outlays that might be adjudged attributable to the State as a result of this debacle, particularly when they have been stretched financially already.

Yesterday, Sinn Féin tabled a censure of motion on the Order Paper. Have the Taoiseach and the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources considered its wording? Will they provide an opportunity at the conclusion of this question and answer session for the Dáil to unanimously endorse a motion of censure? In my view, and that of my colleagues in Sinn Féin, this would send a clear message from the House.

Questions about the relationship between Fine Gael and Mr. Denis O'Brien have been put to the Taoiseach several times. The Moriarty report contained information about payments made to the Fine Gael Party which would appear, in the main, to have been through traditional fundraising activities. It also specifies particular contributions that were directed to constituency fundraising activities.

As I asked the Taoiseach's predecessor before, has he carried out a thorough investigation within his party as to whether any other payments were received either directly from Mr. Denis O'Brien or any company associated with him nationally, regionally or locally? Is the Taoiseach satisfied, and what steps has he taken to be satisfied, that this is the full extent of Mr. O'Brien's transfer of funds to the Fine Gael Party over the period that was under scrutiny by the Moriarty tribunal over 14 years? Can the Taoiseach give us absolute clarity on this matter?

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