Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

In my dealings with it, I found the Standards in Public Office Commission to be helpful and courteous. However, some of the rules, as well as the degree of petty accounting, are inflexible. As is the case with all pioneering legislation, for example, the Freedom of Information Act, we must examine it in the light of experience rather than take an inflexible attitude to it. I do not want to see radical changes. I am glad the era of large financial donations is over and do not want to see it return because it had a corrupting influence on politics and public perception and cynicism.