Brendan Ryan (Labour)

Fianna Fáil was in government throughout this period but its record in winning by-elections was totally changed following the implementation of these measures. I do not know whether it is cause and effect but Fianna Fáil keeps telling us that expenditure is not the problem. Nobody else believes it is not an issue. Perhaps Fianna Fáil will tell us the reason it wants to continue spending more money if it is not influenced by donors and does not believe it makes a difference. That is nonsense.

I would be happy to see the present expenditure limits adjusted in line with the consumer price index. However, there is a need to address the obscenity of the nine month period leading up to the last general election when Fianna Fáil spent an obscene sum of money on large-scale billboard hoardings and other advertising, including, in the weekend after Easter 2002, full-scale multi-page supplements to the Irish Independent. It was obscene. I do not know how much good it did the party but it believed it was worth doing. Those who fund Fianna Fáil also believed it was worth doing.

I invite Fianna Fáil to address the real issues. Why does it want more money to spend on elections and why does it so resolutely insist on looking after its corporate donors? Why will it not address the fact that to achieve full transparency, political parties should be publicly funded? This would ensure no more abuse of privilege or corruption of office.