Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent) | Oireachtas source

That may well be. I know I am taking this to an illogical extreme but it shows the weakness in the legislation. I heard quotes from “senior Fine Gael sources” but most people in Fine Gael are fairly honourable, decent people, as they are in every party. I do not know if such a "senior source" exists. Most people are involved in the administration of fairness. Will the Minister go back to Cabinet and consider the idea that the funding not go back to the party? It should not go back to the individual because maybe one has to take a hit or a penalty if one stood under a certain banner. I can see the difficulty there. The money could go into some other fund, be it Irish Aid, or to assist in the administration of political systems in our programme countries, rather than go to one political party to spend it on removing some other party that is trying to promote a bright young star in Deputy Terence Flanagan’s constituency.

I believe this legislation is unfair. If it was challenged there is a strong possibility it would be found to be unconstitutional. That is something that may happen. The Standards in Public Office Commission has a difficult task but when it is inspecting compliance with this it should try to adhere to the spirit of the legislation, to the golden rule rather than the mischief rule.

See this speech in context