Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have difficulties with the per capita approach being applied to Independents.

I know the Minister has changed that to some extent but there are issues none the less. If the criterion at present is that people who are elected independently are entitled to those supports, it follows that people in Fine Gael or the Reform Alliance - who find themselves in such as position, although not of their volition - are also entitled to them.

Senator Byrne referred to my own situation. A number of us had conscientious objections to a particular issue within our party, and we resigned the whip and left. However, we did not do so on as fundamental an issue and certainly not on an issue about which the party had clearly given commitments which the Senators and TDs followed through on and honoured.

At a recent international conference, I was surprised at the number of people who approached me about the decision of the Irish public to retain the Seanad. They expressed great surprise that in any part of Europe, and particularly in a country that had been so badly affected by the economic downturn, people would use their discretion to retain an institution and a group of politicians with whom they could have dispensed.

We need to re-examine the manner in which allocations are made to political parties. Political parties require funding to get their message across. It is part of the essence of supporting our democratic system and I do not have an objection to that in principle. While we have a situation whereby funding is based on the number of seats, the money should follow individuals rather than what we are copper-fastening in this Bill.

As one who looks objectively at politics, I ask the Minister to re-examine this matter. The logic in continuing it is not nearly as strong in light of recent events and particularly where issues of conscience are totally dismissed. I will not say we are unique, but we are one of the few parliaments in the world with a rigid whip system which allows no departure from what is laid down by the Government. In this instance it is not just the Government; I have also been critical of the EMC which I think is unconstitutional.

We need to examine our democratic structures which failed us in the lead up to our economic downturn. The time has come to have a root and branch study to see what can be done to strengthen them and to ensure that in future we can be more confident they will stand the test of any political, economic or social storm we may face.