Donations list a case of nothing to declare

‘NOTHING to declare’ is the message in the latest round-up of political donations which shows just 25 of the country’s 233 deputies, senators and MEPs reporting that they received contributions of a value they were legally obliged to disclose.

The list, compiled by the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO), is topped by Minister of State at the Department of Children, Sean Power, who received €25,607 last year from 22 separate donors, who gave him cheques for a fundraiser breakfast and golf classic.

That puts him far ahead of the next in line, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who declared a donation of €19,000 which is the value attached to his use of his constituency offices at St Luke’s in Drumcondra, a property which is owned by the Fianna Fáil organisation in Dublin.

Under the Electoral Act 1997, all TDs, senators and MEPs must make annual declarations of any individual donations they received in the preceding year that exceed €634.87, whether the donation was in the form of cash, property, goods or services.

They must also disclose smaller amounts from the same donor that add up to over €634.87 and they cannot accept over €2,539.48 from any one individual in the same calendar year, except in the form of the use of a constituency office.

Where donations in excess of the limit are made, the recipient is legally obliged to notify them to SIPO within 14 days and return the excess. Two deputies, Conor Lenihan, Minister for Overseas Aid and Human Rights, and Independent TD Finian McGrath, fell foul of this law during 2006.

Mr Lenihan was late returning the excess of €60.52 from a donation of €2,600 and Mr McGrath was late dealing with a €5,000 donation from his brother although he subsequently returned the entire amount. Both ultimately complied with the law, and SIPO didn’t refer the breaches to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Fianna Fáil TDs occupy eight of the top 10 spots in the list, with Finance Minister Brian Cowen coming in third with 18 individual contributions of €1,000.

Donegal North East TD Jim McDaid was in fourth place with a donation of €10,400 — the value put on the use of constituency offices in Letterkenny.

Top donations

Sean Power, TD, FF: €25,607

Bertie Ahern, TD, FF: €19,000

Brian Cowen, TD, FF: €18,000

Jim McDaid, TD, FF: €10,400

Barry Andrews, TD, FF: €8,420.27

Conor Lenihan, TD, FF: €6,600

John Paul Phelan, Senator, FG: €4,824

Ivor Callely, TD, FF: €4,000

Seamus Pattison, TD, Lab: €3,200

Mary Wallace, TD, FF: €3,000