Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

It is a matter of judgment and I do not claim to have exclusive wisdom on this. Political donations are not covered by this legislation. The legislation is not changing the threshold to €2,000 for the amount of a cheque one might receive in support of one's election campaign. That is covered by the Electoral Acts, so there is no change in that regard. Indeed, the example I gave earlier was with regard to the Electoral Acts and my experience of having to declare anything at any time. I would not personally be aware of any of these thresholds. Where somebody was doing something on one's behalf to prepare for an election, I had to find out about what applied and whether something was over the limit. If somebody asked me about it, I told them to declare it because there was no big deal about it. That was my point.

Where thresholds are in place, people who work under them are not doing something wrong. They are working within the legislation. We want to avoid a situation where people are regarded as donating politically to the extent that one's political duties are in any way affected by small support such as for a golf classic or the like. Those issues are unchanged. This legislation does not broaden or reduce our commitments or obligations under that legislation. That legislation remains in situ.

What we are discussing in this legislation is two sets of situations. The ambit of this legislation is quite narrow. The Ethics in Public Office Act contains an exemption whereby a threshold does not exist if one receives support from a relative or friend for personal purposes. This Bill will create a threshold and because it is for personal purposes only it will be a different threshold to that for donations connected with one's political career. This is to do with one's personal life and family circumstances. One can imagine circumstances within a family where supports are given by other family members when a particular issue might arise. It is a private family arrangement and one must protect it as such even if one is a politician, in public life or an officeholder.

In my best judgment I propose a limit of €2,000 under which it is not an issue for anybody except within the family. If the amount is greater than €2,000, then in the interests of transparency and to avoid any perception or suggestion of wrongdoing the Standards in Public Office Commission should be notified and it can consider privately whether it is declarable.

With regard to gifts received by Members, if a company presents one with a gift, benefit or corporate entertainment the limit should be at a similar level of €2,000. Normal fundraising activities which take place in politics, candidacy and election campaigns are subject to the Electoral Acts and those limits and thresholds will not be changed in the Bill.

The Bill deals with specific issues which arose in recent months. It became clear people want to see a tightening up so we can confirm that thresholds exist in this area, even if the money is for personal purposes. In the interests of upholding the public's trust and confirming transparency, in this personal arena as well as in one's public duties, people want to see we are prepared to state a threshold will exist with regard to assistance from a relative or friend for personal purposes. This is as well as other obligations we have as public representatives in respect of our public duties, candidacy and election requirements which are separate to what we are discussing here.