Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The message, however, today is that corporate donations will continue albeit in a new regulated framework. The commitment and promise made by the Government to ban corporate donations will not now happen. This merits a more open debate than what we have had. Earlier, the Minister invoked the Good Friday Agreement and EU treaties as the reason, although not stated explicitly, a constitutional ban on corporate donations could not be introduced.

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