Reform demanded as parties declare lower donations
The Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) published its 2008 report on party political donations yesterday, revealing the origins of €96,523 in funding.
However, this is only a fraction of the amount spent, and SIPO said the parties should be more open and furnish accounts to an independent authority. “These accounts, which would be published, would specify all donations received by the party and disclose details of donations over a certain value.”
The figure is down from €140,000 last year, and €142,000 the year before.
The report showed Fianna Fáil unwittingly accepted a prohibited donation when two separate arms of the party accepted €7,000 from Boylesports bookmakers between them, exceeding the €6,348.89 threshold a party can accept of any one company or individual.
However, the party noticed the sum before it filed accounts and returned €900 to the firm.
SIPO said the party’s director of finance, David Burke, noticed the problem in March.
“Unknown to Fianna Fáil HQ, Fianna Fáil Louth CDC [Comhairle Ceanntair] branch had also accepted a donation of €2,000 from this company. When the party became aware in March 2009 that donations exceeding the maximum prescribed limit had been accepted… a refund of €900 was made to Boyle Sports.”
SIPO could have pressed charges, because the money was not returned within 14 days, but the office said it was not practice to do so. But if Fianna Fáil followed the guidelines for recording and aggregating donations the overpayment would not have happened, the watchdog said.
SIPO is awaiting a detailed response from Fianna Fáil on other excessive donations revealed in the Irish Examiner, which included €15,658 in undeclared donations from Durkan Homes.
The two main opposition parties did not declare any donations for 2008.
Last year, Labour revealed €18,648, including €6,000 from SIPTU. In 2006, it declared more than €10,000.
Fine Gael has not declared for a number of years.
All Green TDs donated the €6,348 maximum to headquarters, its two senators gave €4,232 each.
Sinn Féin’s TDs gave €6,000 each to the party. New MEP Joe Higgins, donated €6,348.60 to the Socialist party.
