Shane Ross (Independent)

One need only look at VHI. One could hardly wander down its corridors without bumping into a Fine Gael trustee, because they were on the board. The system is abused by Labour, the Progressive Democrats and everyone, but it is time it ended because semi-State bodies and the political process suffer. There is deep public cynicism about the practice, and that is proper. Under the last coalition Government, as the Minister, Deputy Ahern, said in the Dáil the other day, there was the three-two-one rule, where three seats went to Fine Gael on a semi-State board, two to Labour, and one to the Democratic Left. Piety from this side will be difficult to take.

However, we had a motion here about a year ago from Fine Gael, whose members are now converts to the cause I espouse tonight. That was greatly to their credit, as it was difficult for them. They came out against the prison visitors abuse. They came out and said that it must end as it was given only on the basis of mileage. No doubt, when Fine Gael and Labour get into Government, that abuse will end. It will be difficult as it has been ruthlessly used by all parties to promote their friends and relations and give them a small income as a consolation for loss of office or as a reward for work they did for the party.

This is not a practice of which we should be proud. I will not go into the excesses of the Labour Party in 1993 in any great detail.