Cassidy promises early debate on political funding

The House agreed that debate could begin on a Labour Party Bill to provide for the registration of paid lobbyists. The second stage of the Registration of Lobbyists Bill is expected to be taken on Wednesday.

Moving that the Bill be printed, Mr Joe Costello (Labour) called on the leader of the House, Mr Donie Cassidy, to indicate when the House would have before it a promised all-party motion on the funding of political parties. There should be an open-ended debate dealing with corruption and abuses in relation to the political and planning arena, he said. This should also bring into the scenario the new Local Government Development Bill, which dealt with the kind of criteria that would be required from local councillors in the near future.

Dr Edward Haughey (FF) called for a debate on the control of newspapers in the island. The Cathaoirleach, Mr Brian Mullooly, pointed out that there had been a debate over the last two weeks on the laws of libel and defamation. This had encompassed a general debate on the role of the media in Irish life.

Dr Haughey said he was seeking a debate on the ownership and control of newspapers. This was something that mattered to people in the entire island.

Mr David Norris (Ind) said he would be adding his name to a motion seeking the strongest sanctions against any member properly found to have received bribes or to be corrupt. If the House did not discuss corruption in Irish politics, then its members would stand convicted by their silence in the public imagination. He was not someone who gloated in any other person's discomfort, but he felt a sense of real shame when he saw what was going on in Irish public life. Mr Dino Cregan (FG) said he could not believe the way The Irish Times could explain to members of the Oireachtas what had been going on in Dublin County Council. If he was a councillor he would not have to look for the minutes of the last 15 years. He could get it in The Irish Times, but the House was not being given an opportunity to discuss these matters.

Mr Cassidy gave an undertaking that arrangements would be put in place for an early debate on political funding. However, Mr O'Toole objected to the proposed order of business on the grounds that the all-party motion promised by the leader had not been put forward. The resulting vote ended in a tie, 18-18, and the Cathaoirleach then cast his vote in favour of the Government.