Candidate returns €500 donation to developer
Cllr Eric Byrne, who is running in Dublin South Central, posted a photograph of the cheque and the accompanying letter from Durkan Homes on his personal website.
The letter, dated May 18, simply states: “Dear Eric, with reference to the upcoming general election, please find enclosed a donation towards your election fund. We wish you all the best next Thursday!”
It is signed on behalf of Neil and Liam Durkan, the directors of the company.
Mr Byrne last night said that, although made out to him, the letter and cheque had been sent to the home of his election agent.
He said he was mystified as to why the company sent the unsolicited donation.
On his website earlier, he had written: “The cheque is in the post… back to Durkan Homes.
“On Friday my election agent rang me to say he’d just received a cheque for €500 from Durkan Homes, a firm of developers with projects — including public-private partnership projects — around the greater Dublin area [although a brief scan of their website showed little in Dublin South Central, strangely].
“Now, I don’t know what Durkan Homes are up to. Are they sending cheques to all candidates? Or only to candidates representing parties which may be in government after the election? Or only to those candidates they think will win? Is there some sort of sliding scale? Just what kind of influence do they think they can buy? Whatever — thanks but no thanks.”
Yesterday morning, when invited to comment, a spokesperson for Durkan Homes said he would inquire into the situation and respond in due course.
However, the company had not responded by close of business last night.
Durkan Homes has a record of political donations. In both 2005 and 2004, the last years for which figures are available, it donated €6,348 to Fianna Fáil.
That was just below the maximum €6,348.69 a party can accept from the same donor in any one year.
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