Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

That is exactly what I said. The status quo determined on the day of the election holds true so that if a candidate is an Independent the allowance is his or hers as an Independent. The discernment is that it is the determination on the day of the election. That is the point I made. People leave parliamentary parties, often on a temporary basis. For example, Deputy Penrose, who left the Labour Party parliamentary party has rejoined it. While some people leave the party, others stay within the party, attend all party functions but do not take the party whip. There are all sorts of variations. The simplicity of the method in place is underscored by the often double or triple movement within a single Parliament.

Senator Bradford made the point that a school will lose a capitation grant.

It does not, of course, until the next capitation period. If children move in the middle of the year, the Department does not start cutting back the allowance in the middle of the year.