Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank all Deputies who contributed to the debate. I was disappointed with the Minister's response in not facilitating the passage of this Bill to Committee Stage. I want to debunk the myth that nothing has happened over the past decade in regard to political funding. Clearly, there has been incremental regulation of political funding and contributions to political parties, such as declarations,thresholds, transparency and so forth. In my opening speech, I outlined the changes in regulating political funding and political donations over a long period of time. My party, in government, took lead positions on many of those changes.

What I said at the outset still stands in that every political party which went before the people sought a mandate on the basis of banning corporate donations and not just further regulation of political funding, increased and enhanced transparency or declaration thresholds and so forth. They sought an actual ban on corporate donations founded on the principle that it is only those who vote in elections who should be in a position to contribute to the campaigns of political parties which fight in those elections.

The Minister's response was such that it clearly indicated he does not intend to ban corporate donations. That is a fair summary of the Government's position. Would that be fair?

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