Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)

I support the suggestion of Senator Maurice Hayes that some mechanism should be found to arrange whatever legal funding is required for Senator Higgins and Deputy Howlin now that the Minister for Finance, supported by the Cabinet, has decided not to fund such costs. Any of us could face such a situation in the future. This decision is shocking, particularly when one bears in mind that they decided to give the information to the Minister privately and not raise it in the House. If they had raised it in the Dáil, they would have been covered by the privilege thereof. It is horrifying it has come to this and I hope some mechanism is found to ensure that they are legally protected in terms of whatever expenditure is involved. This is an important issue for both Houses. I hope to talk to my Fianna Fáil colleagues afterwards to find out how it feels to be infected by the genes of the Progressive Democrats.