Cathal Crowe forced by Sipo to hand back €800 of political donation

Ethics watchdog asked Fianna Fáil Clare TD to return most of a €1,000 donation as it exceeded the maximum allowed

Cathal Crowe TD. File picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

A Fianna Fáil Clare TD was forced by the country’s ethics watchdog to hand back a political donation as it exceeded the maximum allowable cash donations.

Cathal Crowe was asked to return €800 of a €1,000 donation because, under the Electoral Act 1997, public representatives may not accept donations in any year of more than €200 in cash, and not more than €1,000 in total from a single source.

They must disclose any donations valued at (or totalling) €600 or more from an individual source to the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo). Donations below this reporting threshold need not be disclosed to the commission.

According to a Sipo report published on Monday, Mr Crowe was one of just four Oireachtas members who had to declare donations over the threshold.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik and Fianna Fáil senator Shane Cassells each received €1,000 donations by cheque, while Fianna Fáil senator Lorraine Clifford Lee received a cheque for €800. Ms Bacik, who won her Dáil seat in the Dublin Bay South by-election last year, received a €1,000 donation from an individual, while a separate declaration by former Siptu leader Jack O’Connor shows that he donated €500 to Ms Bacik.

Mr Cassells received €1,000 from the Fianna Fáil selection organisation in Meath West. Ms Clifford Lee received hers from party headquarters. However as Mr Crowe’s donation was received in cash, he was asked to return €800.

The report says that Mr Crowe returned the money as soon as the discrepancy was pointed out.

“In one case, a TD received a cash donation of €1,000,” the report states.

“The Act requires that where a cash donation in excess of €200 is received, the Member must either return the donation or the part in excess over €200 to the donor, or remit the donation to the Commission.

“The Commission wrote to the TD to advise him of his obligations and of the necessary steps to achieve compliance. The TD concerned returned €800 to the donor.”

The report says Oireachtas members disclosed donations with a total value of €3,800 for 2021. When refunds are taken into account, the net total for donations received was €3,000, a sharp decrease from the 2020 equivalent figure, which was €64,875.

The report reflects only those donations over the reporting threshold and does not account for all donations received by members.