Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is a very basic principle and tradition in this House. He is also entitled to be a candidate for a political party but Government money is not spent on him to promote him. Fianna Fáil will have to do that, as every other candidate in this country will have to do it. I have never used the term "Goebbels" and I hate anyone using Nazi terms about anyone in a current parliamentary democracy. I do not like it or endorse it and I disassociate myself from it. Any Member of the House who uses such terms should reflect on what he or she has said and withdraw any assertion that any Member of this House or any Member of Government is engaging in that matter. What we are discussing here is light years apart from what happened during the Third Reich. I have never been under any illusions about that and I want to make that crystal clear. I think, in many respects, that it was not the correct strategy for the Taoiseach to attempt to put me on a spot with regard to that.

All I would say with regard to Joe Costello is that it is still a live issue before the courts. It is not appropriate that it be discussed here because the issue is not finalised in that respect and I do not think it merited reference. On the more substantive point that I asked in my question, the bottom line is that the Government is responsible for the spending of taxpayers' money and how that money is spent. If it transpires that that money has been spent on promoting Fine Gael candidates, then there has to be a review. It is not good enough for the Government to say that it had nothing to do with it and that it is at arm's length. One cannot be at arm's length from the proper spending of taxpayers' money. That is the point. The Government cannot simply say that it put a whole lot of money over somewhere and that people can do what they like with it. Basic rules and principles should apply. It has never been the case in the Civil Service code or the utilisation of taxpayers' money that it is spent on party political candidates. That is what has happened. It is not just the Longford Leader. It is the Limerick Leadertoo. There were three Fine Gael candidates on those advertorials. The Roscommon-----

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