Green Party members asked to return money after party 'misinterpreted' donation rules

In a statement, the Green Party said the issue has been rectified and its status for 2021 has been updated.

Some Green Party candidates have been asked to return donations after the party misinterpreted the Standards in Public Office (SIPO) rules. 

Under election legislation, anyone who wishes to donate more than €200, to a maximum of €1,000, to a candidate or member of the Oireachtas, must register as a corporate donor. 

If a politician takes over €200 from an unregistered corporate donor, they must return it to the sender and keep a written record of the return for the Standards in Public Office Commission or notify SIPO and return the excess to it.

Some Green Party candidates in last year's election were asked in recent weeks to return amounts over €200 from their campaigns after the party misinterpreted the rules. 

The issue was flagged by SIPO in recent weeks.

In a statement, the party said the issue has been rectified and its status for 2021 has been updated.

"The Green Party has Corporate Donor status for 2021. The issue arose from a misinterpretation of the guidelines and SIPO provided a legal ruling in 2021 on the matter. Our representatives responded without delay and made the appropriate refunds to the Party."

The SIPO report for the 2019 local elections, published last month, found that both the Greens and Fianna Fáil had not registered for that year, forcing six Oireachtas members to return excess donations.

A SIPO statement said: "In the course of the examination of donation statements and associated returns by TDs, Senators and MEPs for the calendar year 2019, it was noted that a number of members had received donations from their political parties. 

"The parties concerned (Fianna Fáil and the Green Party) had not registered as corporate donors for 2019.

"At its meeting on December 18, 2020, the Commission decided to write to all registered political parties to inform them of the position and remind them of the necessity to register as a corporate donor in the event that the party or one of its subsidiary organisations intends to make a donation to an elected member or a candidate. 

"The Commission also decided that correspondence should issue to the Members who had received donations from their parties to inform them that they must either return the excess over €200 to the party and provide evidence of this to the Commission, or alternatively remit the excess over €200 to the Commission. All such issues were resolved."

SIPO would not comment on the specifics of any donations in the 2020 general election as the processing of returns is ongoing, but said the same rules would apply.

Fianna Fáil said that it had rectified its standing with SIPO and changed its fundraising system a decade ago to centralise how it raises funds.

"Once this matter was drawn to our attention by SIPO, we took steps to resolve the matter. We have registered the Party and its branches as a Corporate Donor to make such payments. 

"SIPO confirmed that all steps taken ensured our compliance with the necessary regulations," a spokesperson said.

"Since 2011, the Party has changed its fundraising model whereby all our TDs, Senators and local representatives along with party units fundraise locally through the Party's central fundraising initiatives such as our National Superdraw. This assists our campaigns locally and nationally."