Body finds seven TDs got donations high enough to require disclosure in 2017

Seven public representatives received donations that exceeded €600 last year.

Under the Standards in Public Office legislation, public representatives may not accept donations of more than €200 in cash or €1,000 from a single source and must disclose donations exceeding €600 from a single source.

SIPO says that all public representatives complied with these requirements, but some filed returns after the deadline.

The seven representatives who were required to disclose their donations were Fianna Fáil's James Lawless, Micheál Martin, Michael McGrath and Darragh O'Brien, Fine Gael's Kate O'Connell, Labour's Alan Kelly and Padraig MacLochlainn from Sinn Féin.

The disclosed donations they got came to €6,360 in total.

In 2017, 229 public representatives were required to make donation statements by January 31, 2018. They were 158 TDs, 60 Senators and 11 MEPs.

There were no donations disclosed that exceeded the maximum limit of €1,000.

- Digital Desk