Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have explained ad nauseam but the Deputy understands it better than me that this is a party funding system. He does not agree with it but shouting me down does not help convince me of his argument. As I have already stated, the average per Member is €39,681. If one looks at the individual allocation, it proportionately gives an advantage to the smaller parties and a greater advantage to parties in opposition. So the average amount per Member of the People Before Profit Alliance is €71,520; the Socialist Party, which now has only one Member, gets €71,520; Sinn Féin gets €67,433; Fianna Fáil gets €64,743; the Independents get €41,152; the Labour Party gets €36,639, which is below the average; and Fine Gael gets €27,858, which is well below the average of €39,681. If we are going to argue facts, let us argue facts and be accurate and honest.

By and large, I have covered the substantive issues that the Deputies have raised relating to the Bill. It is a short piece of legislation, as many Deputies have properly indicated. Its aim is to do a number of discrete and specific things about which I have spoken. I have not heard anybody disagree with the actual Bill. They only spoke about what they wanted to graft on to the Bill. I think there is agreement that the parliamentary activities allowance should be reduced by 10%, that there should be full accountability by all who receive it and that the current severance payment available to Ministers should be ended. I thank Deputies for thoughtful and passionately felt expressions of views that I respect. All I ask is that if I hold a contrary view on some of the matters, that would also be respected.

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