FORMER Fine Gael TD Liam Cosgrave failed to declare what he described as a “legitimate” political donation of £2,500 (€3,174) from Frank Dunlop to the Public Offices Commission as required by legislation.

YESTERDAY’s Supreme Court decision on election expenses could not only lead to legal challenges to the election of certain candidates, but also to prosecution of Dáil deputies for exceeding campaign spending limits.

THREE unsuccessful general election candidates are being investigated by gardaí for failing to return a list of campaign donations they received to the State’s political watchdog.

ANYONE outside politics campaigning in the Nice referendum who makes false donation statements faces a fine of €25,394 and/or three years in jail.

THE results of BSE tests being carried out on an eight-year old cow in former Minister of State Ned O’Keeffe’s dairy herd are not expected until later this week.

The Public Offices Commission has expressed concern that the new Standards Act does not deal with the issue of gifts given to ministers by so-called friends.

The Government has introduced new rules governing donations to lobby groups involved in referendum and election campaigns.

The Dail’s Public Offices Commission has found Fianna Fail TD Ned O’Keefe guilty of breaching the Ethics in Public Office Act by failing to declare his family’s farming interests.

Labour Party leader Ruairi Quinn has said he is concerned about the Public Offices Commission’s delay in hearing a complaint against Fianna Fail TD Ned O’Keefe.

Denis O'Brien was the largest contributor to Irish political parties last year, according to figures released by the Public Offices Commission today.

Fine Gael has tabled a new Dail Bill aimed at limiting corporate donations to all political parties.

A Fianna Fail TD has lodged a complaint against the deputy leader of Fine Gael, Jim Mitchell, with the Public Offices Commission about a possible breach of the electoral act.

Ned O'Keeffe, a junior minister at the Department of Agriculture, quit after the Public Offices Commission opened an investigation involving him for an alleged breach of the Ethics in Public Office Act.

The leader of the Labour party, Ruairi Quinn, has joined his opposition colleagues in calling for the resignation of Junior Minister Ned O’Keefe from the Department of Agriculture.

Opposition parties are calling on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to move Junior Minister Ned O’Keefe out of the Department of Agriculture.

Junior Minister Ned O’Keefe is under renewed pressure to resign this morning after the Public Offices Commission announced its intention to investigate him.