Young political activists usually want to bring global peace, feed the hungry and save the whales.
Fine Gael's puppy brigade, on the other hand, would prefer a few corporate donations.
In his first act as the leader of Fine Gael, Mr Michael Noonan banned contributions from business to the party's coffers. Instead, he harked back to the days when the plain people of Ireland gave "pennies to Daniel O'Connell".
A motion from the organisation's Dublin City University branch urging Mr Noonan to have a change of heart will go before Young Fine Gael's bi-annual conference in Nenagh, Co Tipperary on November 17th.
"The ban on corporate donations has starved Fine Gael of funds.
"It is totally reasonable that business should want to support us financially," said Mr Michael Moriarty, chairman of the branch.
The "controversial" proposal has already generated considerable discussion within Young Fine Gael, a party spokesperson conceded yesterday, though it is too early to say if it will be accepted. I respect the idealism of the leader's original decision," said Mr Moriarty.
"This is not an effort to question the leadership. But there should be conflict between Young Fine Gael and the rest of the party."
However, he accepted that it might be a little difficult to sell a policy change to the voters.
"Yes, that would be a public relations problem. It would be a PR disaster, actually. But we must look beyond the next general election. It is vital that we don't get left behind."
Yesterday, the senior ranks of Fine Gael were amused at the call, at least in public: "But there are two chances of what they want happening," said the party's spokesperson. Some of the endless pressure on the party to raise funds was eased early this year following the Dβil's decision to share out about £5 million in taxpayers' funds amongst the political parties.
Of that, Fine Gael received more than £1 million. "We are quite solvent, thank you," said the spokesperson, adding that the public had heeded Mr Noonan's call for extra "pennies" in its recent church gate collection.
