Cross-party support for cap on campaign spending in local elections

ENVIRONMENT Minister John Gormley’s plan to introduce strict spending limits for candidates in next year’s local elections were boosted yesterday by cross-party support from TDs and senators.

Reviewing an Oireachtas report that suggests the more a candidate spends, the more likely they are to be elected, the minister said the actual spending limit and its governance needed to be teased out.

The report recommends a “level playing field” for candidates, with a spending cap, but warns against the danger of affecting voter turnout by reducing the profile of candidates.