Fiach MacConghail (Independent)

Okay. I thank the Minister for his explanation. I wish to be clear on this issue, having regard in particular to what Senator Norris said. There is nothing naive about what I am proposing. I am not responding in any way to the media but to my responsibility as a parliamentarian who is being given taxpayer's money and being accountable for that. I could decide not to take the money but it is important the party leader's allowance is available to parliamentarians to execute their work and conduct their duties. If I am to accept that, as Senator Keane said, I must also accept the fact that I have to be accountable for it, to keep receipts and to make those public. It is not too onerous a task for anybody in that position. In my role as director of the Abbey Theatre, I am accountable and answerable to the Committee of Public Accounts for all my expenditure. I have to keep receipts in respect of my role there. That is a pattern or habit one gets into in the same way as one gets up in the morning or hits snooze button on the clock radio. This is an important matter. I am not doing this for sake of optics. I am not doing it to satisfy some media-----