Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It has been suggested by several Deputies that the provision in the legislation for the merger of two parties sets a precedent for the transfer of funds from a party to an individual. However, the legislation actually provides for the situation where two parties decide to merge and the parties decide to pool their resources. It is the party funding being welded together. That is provided for and is understood.

It is very different from an individual member of a party deciding he or she does not wish to be a member of or being expelled from a party and then either wanting to take the resources with him or him or quash those resources being provided to the party of which he or she was formerly a member.

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