Organisations ordered to return overseas donations

The ethics watchdog said it ordered Irish organisations to return overseas donations because the donor said the funds were for political purposes — despite the claims of the Irish groups themselves.

The Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPOC) yesterday issued a statement after Amnesty Ireland revealed it has been ordered to return the €137,000 it received from the Open Society Foundation (OSF) towards its campaign to repeal the Eighth Amendment.

Campaign funding law prohibits any donation to Irish third parties from foreign sources if it is to be used for political purposes.