Paul Bradford (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Some Senators, as the Minister knows, are nominated to stand by nominating bodies and some Members are nominated by four Members of the Oireachtas. The non-contentious point I want the Minister to clarify is that the definition of an Independent Senator in the Bill is "a member of the Seanad... elected... or nominated... at the last preceding general election" as a member of a particular party. Unlike the person who is elected in a Dáil election where his or her party affiliation is on the ballot paper, it is very different in the Seanad. There is a list of the candidates and their nominating bodies or their nominating Oireachtas Members are listed. I seek clarification on that.

My second request for clarification is about the list of allowable expenses for which party funding can be used. In the context of expenses, the Bill states "the payment to another person of any salary or honorarium in respect of duties arising from the person's activities in a parliamentary party". Could the Minister clarify if it is allowable under that heading that a person could be working for a Minister? Does that provide for a person to work for a Minister or does that person, who is paid from the public purse, have to work within the confines of a parliamentary party? Those are my two questions that the Minister might answer.

I strongly support the comments of Senator Healy Eames. It is not in any way possible to defend the case that political parties would continue to keep taxpayers' money to which, in my view, they are not entitled. Once I or any of my colleagues lose the party Whip, we are no longer members of the parliamentary party. We no longer enjoy or receive any benefit from the list of allowable expenses for which the legislation provides. It cannot stand up to any scrutiny, moral or legal, that political parties would continue to keep the allowances which were provided in respect of such Senators' membership of a parliamentary party. During the campaign to abolish the Seanad, it was claimed that the Government would save €10 million, €15 million or €20 million by abolishing it. At least €500,000, €600,000 or €700,000 of taxpayers' money is still being paid on annual basis to the political parties in respect of the allowance for former members of those parties.