Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I have listened very carefully to the Minister. I now realise what Senator Cox has been getting at. She is not speaking now about the difference between the sums of €650 and €2,000. Clearly this is an improvement on previous standards. I believe the Senator is making the point that up to now, somebody who wished to find a way around the existing legislation could have accepted a personal gift from a friend or relative and then used their personal money for political use. That possibility always existed, it seems. Senator Cox is pointing out that the flaw is perhaps still there.

The Minister is making the point that if a €1,999 sum is used immediately for political purposes, the person in question is breaking previous legislation. If, however, the person used it for personal expenses and used other money for political reasons, that person is clearly in breach of the other legislation rather than this Bill.

We are clearly better off now than we have been. Senator Cox is pointing out there is a possibility of somebody getting around the legislation through subterfuge, but there is now at least a limit. The Bill does not attempt to solve the problem. I understand Senator Cox's concerns. The dilemma will not be easily solved, and it certainly will not be solved by this legislation, as the Minister has stated. Perhaps the issue could be considered at some later stage.