James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

I will use the two minutes available. Deputies Clare Daly and Higgins have, on many occasions, lectured us on the position regarding the workers versus the capitalist parties in this country. The Deputies inform us that they only take the average industrial wage out of what they are paid and that the remainder of their State salaries are transferred into party funds. I often wonder whether this is ethical and whether the procedure involved is correct. I am of the opinion that what is being done is this regard is wrong. Deputies Clare Daly and Higgins should practice what they preach in this regard. They are, after all, pumping taxpayers' money into their party. That is neither correct nor proper.

At a time of increased public accountability, the Bill will hopefully make the position in respect of political funding more transparent. The perception that politics is not so much about democracy as it is about big business needs to be replaced as a matter of urgency and a system of total transparency must be introduced. I welcome the fact the Bill goes some way towards achieving this. I do not doubt that intention. This Bill will ensure mechanisms are in place to remove the power of large political donations, which can and have been used to influence outcomes. There is something surreal about such actions, which have the scent of the sort of corruption associated with cinema and television serials. However, corruption of this kind has no place within the political sphere, be it on a party or individual basis. It goes without saying that in the Ireland of 2012, transparency in every facet of government is the basic right of the electorate, which has put us all here.

The Minister referred to the input of the Council of Europe group against corruption, and this legislation will take on board its recommendations, along with those of the Standards in Public Office Commission. The main proposals from both groups recommended that consideration be given to lowering the current disclosure threshold for political donations. Recommendations made by the Moriarty tribunal, published last year, will be also responded to. It is amusing, in these circumstances, to consider the yardstick used by the Minister to decide that this legislation is long overdue. He mentioned that amounts referred to in previous legislation, the Electoral Act 1997, are given in punts. One would almost wonder if the term should be explained to younger Members; one of those Members, Deputy Harris, is on my left.

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