Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is correct that it is not his money. It is not the Labour Party's money nor the Fine Gael Party's money. It is certainly not the money of Senator Bradford or myself. It is the State's money and that is why we want to give it back to the State now that we have left our parliamentary parties. I do not think anything could be clearer. To clarify what I meant about, as the Minister said, "lesser beings", there is a value given to a member of a parliamentary party that is no longer given when he or she is expelled from that parliamentary party. There is a financial value which remains with the party and that is what I meant.

The Minister said this debate is not really about what he is talking about at all. I regard this as quite insulting. In my view, this debate is about the reform of politics and if it is not, it should be. This is about how political parties and Independents are funded. The Dáil has 166 Members and the Seanad has 60 Members, making 226 Members of the Oireachtas. Each Member is apportioned an allowance via the system.