TD labels Sinn Féin's acceptance of UK donor's €2m donation 'unethical'

At the time, the Standards in Public Office (Sipo) conceded to Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald's argument that "there are effectively two Sinn Féins". File picture

Sinn Féin accepting a €2m donation from a UK donor was "unethical", an Oireachtas Committee has heard.

The Oireachtas Committee on Local Government was debating the government's electoral reform bill on Wednesday when Labour TD Ged Nash proposed an amendment which would stop all-island parties "taking advantage" of British electoral rules, which have no limit on the number of donations that can be received by a party.

Mr Nash referred to the William Hampton case, in which a British man donated €2m to Sinn Féin which the party was able to accept in the North and would not have been able to in the South.

At the time, the Standards in Public Office (Sipo) conceded to Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald's argument that "there are effectively two Sinn Féins, there's one in the North organised, registered and that can take advantage of British laws where there was no limit in terms of donations". 

"Even though the bequest itself from Mr Hampton was actually to Sinn Féin in the Republic, the decision was taken by Sinn Féin in the North to accept it," Mr Nash said.

"We accepted that there's a legal difference between both jurisdictions, but that doesn't mean that was not a real problem. Mr Nash said: 

It is unethical to accept donations of that scale that would dwarf the €2,500 limit that we decided as a parliament. 

"In our society more generally, because of the toxic and poisonous influence of money and politics, it's not right that that's accepted. 

So there's a decision that parties have to make themselves whether this is right and whether it fits in with their moral and ethical compass or not."

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

Mr Nash said he understood the challenges involved in legislation given that there are two jurisdictions on the island, but that shouldn't act as a barrier to deal with the issue.

"We've seen the corrupting influence of big money in politics in this country. I think we need to learn those lessons from an all-Ireland perspective," he said.

SIPO specifically suggested that a new electoral commission, when it is formed, would prioritise the issue. Sinn Féin's Eoin O'Broin said the amendment could produce an anomaly for parties who operate in the North such as his own, the Green Party, and People Before Profit.

"The sooner we have standardised, harmonised rules north and south the better, but it would create an anomaly in the North, if it was even legally possible, because what would happen is for a political party, like the Greens in the North, you'd have to apply the southern standards, so you'd have this two-tiered system in the North, where the certain rules apply to the parties that are all-Ireland in nature and the Westminster rules would apply to those parties only operating in the North."