Gormley to restrict campaign spending

The Green Party Leader John Gormley has revealed plans to limit the amount of money that candidates can spend in next year's local council elections.

Minister Gormley will present the plan to the Oireachtas's Environment Committee next month, and intends to bring forward new legislation in time for council elections in June.

Speaking before he briefed councillors and election candidates about his plans at the Green Party's 'Think In' in Tralee, the Minister for Local Government said: "I am determined to address this issue urgently. It is my intention to put in place meaningful controls on spending in time for next year's elections.

"Limiting the amount of money that election candidates can spend encourages fairer competition and greater participation in the political system. I began my political career as an elected representative in Dublin City Council.

"The experience taught me that serving your community as an elected representative is a privilege and an honour. It should not be limited according to how much money you have to spend. There are widely told stories of election candidates spending up to €50,000 on recent local election campaigns. I believe, not only is this wrong, but it also potentially damages the political system.

"The commitment to establish expenditure limits at local elections is part of a number of measures to progressively reform the political system negotiated into the Programme for Government by the Green Party. I am happy to have already published a green paper on local government reform that will pave the way for powerful directly elected mayors, and to have opened a public consultation last month on the issue of election posters.

"In the near future, a panel of experts commissioned by my Department will report on how an independent electoral commission will be established in order to bring about further reform and modernisation, including the wider issue of the financing of the political system," Minister Gormley concluded.