Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent)

-----and that there are no major changes proposed for the political parties. The Minister might clarify that in his reply.

We have a major opportunity to lead by example in two ways. We need radical cuts to political funding and funding for Deputies. I welcome the vouching of the leader's allowance. It is extraordinary that I am allowed unvouched payments and I do not think I should.

As the Minister will be aware, the resources provided to Independent Deputies are a fraction of those paid to Members who are in parties. For example, Independent Deputies receive one fourth of the amount paid to Fianna Fáil Deputies. When one adds the leader's allowance to the Exchequer funding, the funding per Deputy is several times higher in Opposition parties than it is for Independents, while Government parties receive approximately twice as much. Total expenditure on leaders' allowances is €4.8 million annually, based on 2011 figures, with an additional €4 million in Exchequer funding. Will the Minister consider bringing the total State funding for individual Deputies to the current level paid to Independent Deputies, that is, approximately €40,000 before reducing the amount by a further 10%? My calculations suggest that we would save the State between €7 million and €10 million if political funding to parties was at the level currently paid to Independent Deputies.

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