Shatter critical of limit on election spending

FINE GAEL TD Alan Shatter has criticised the Government’s decision to limit spending by candidates in next June’s local elections.

He accused the Government of damaging the very fabric and foundations of democracy under the guise of political correctness.

“This is a pretence at curtailing expenditure from candidates, because the view is that very rich people, or people who get more financial support than others, should not be allowed to use it to get their message across.”

Mr Shatter said that one of the touchstones of political popularity and electoral support, in circumstances where, rightly, the donations that could be given by individuals were limited, and where there was transparency, was the extent to which an individual managed to raise finance from other people to support his or her campaign.

“How many people in this House celebrated the success of the Obama campaign in raising funds by way of small donations in the 18-month lead-in to the United States presidential election? We thought that was a good thing. Looking at the disasters of the Bush administration, some in this House silently cheered on Obama, as did others more vocally.

“He could not, under our democratic system, have run in a local election and raised any funds that were meaningful.”

Mr Shatter was speaking during the debate on the Electoral (Amendment) Bill, which imposes spending limits, ranging from €9,750-€15,000, on local election candidates.

He said that a candidate “who has limited capacities and abilities, and not an original idea in his or her head, will spend exactly the same money as a brighter candidate who has an original idea and a real message to get across”.

That was not democracy, he added. He claimed that the Bill was designed to disadvantage any candidate from any party, not only Fine Gael, who might want to oppose Government policy, get themselves elected and have the freedom to get their message across.

Minister for the Environment John Gormley said that Mr Shatter’s contribution on the Bill was at variance with his Fine Gael colleagues who had spoken on Wednesday.

“I understand Deputy Shatter perfectly well. He has made himself very clear. He stated that candidates ought to be able to spend as much money . . . to get their message across . . . he is saying that we should have the best democracy that money can buy.”