Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thought he was gone. The Ceann Comhairle is taken into account as part of the Fine Gael elected Members. It is the same argument and issue. It is not payable to an individual. Once the election is over, the number of people elected in each political party is the determining figure. Deputy Shortall reiterated her strong view that there is no basis for doing this. I think there is and that it is reasonable and fair. In everything I do, be it in opposition or as a member of the Government, I try to be as objective as I can but I have strong opinions, as do the Deputies opposite. The question of whether they are valid or not is a matter for other people's judgement. I happen to have the privilege of being in government so I have the force of argument on this side of the House but I must bring my parliamentary colleagues with me.

It is instructive, when people talk about the rights of Independent Members, to note that the great bulk of the time on this issue has been taken up by the Members opposite arguing their side of the argument. I have talked to my parliamentary colleagues on this side of the House who support me. When a vote is called, the Deputies opposite will see that they will support me. However, they are not taking up the time in terms of the force of the argument. In terms of most debates, Members on the Government benches, particularly backbench Members, find it very difficult to get speaking time. That is something we might reflect on another time.

Deputy Mathews made the general thesis point that we should simply determine what is an appropriate sum of money to be expended and divide it by 166. That negates the views of most people who believe we should not do that because it would hugely advantage very large parties. It would particularly advantage very large parties in Government, who also have the advantage of the resources of Government. We do not give the same proportion equally to every Deputy. We disadvantage those in Government for obvious reasons and then we taper the sums allocated to a political party downwards in terms of scale to ensure everybody has a-----

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