Donohoe's constituency organisation will refund €234 to company which paid for postering in 2020

Paschal Donohoe answering question in the Dáil.

Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe's constituency organisation will refund €234 to the company which paid for the erection of his posters in 2020.

Speaking in the Dáil this afternoon, Mr Donohoe said that the money was part of "an unauthorised" corporate donation made by the Designer Group, the company owned by Michael Stone.

Mr Stone on Tuesday revealed that he had paid for posters to be put up and taken down in 2016 and 2020. Mr Donohoe told the Dáil that this revelation came after he had asked Mr Stone on a number of occasions if any support had been provided.

"In seeking to determine the full facts of the matter, I consulted with the local organisation in Fine Gael about any involvement from Michael Stone in both the 2016 and 2020 elections.

"The situation regarding support in 2016 was confirmed to me and I have made a statement to the Dáil and to media in this regard.

"However, the situation regarding support provided in 2020 was unclear. There was some recollection by my team of support being provided by Michael Stone in 2020 but despite my asking directly a couple of times, Mr Stone’s view was that he had not provided any support three years ago. This was confirmed to me on more than one occasion.

"On Wednesday night after my Dáil statement, I received a call from Michael Stone telling me that a member of his team did recall support being provided in 2020 through the campaign team. This prompted his call to me."

The minister said that Mr Stone had made clear the circumstances of the support provided in 2020 and that he "was unaware of any of these details prior to Wednesday night".

"Despite my best efforts in recent weeks to ensure the fullest account of the support given in both 2016 and 2020 was accurate, an amendment will now be made to my 2020 General Election expenses form to reflect the new information to the amount of €864 for labour and €392.20 for vehicles for support received during the election period.

"In addition, I am now aware that an unauthorised corporate donation of €434.20 was unknowingly received by Fine Gael Dublin Central. This was in the form of the use of vehicles, the commercial value of which exceeded the maximum allowable donation limit of €200. Sipo [the Standards in Public Office Commission] have been notified of this breach and €234.20, the amount received in excess of the allowable limit, will be refunded to the Designer Group. An amendment will also be made this week to my election expenses return to the value of €1,256.20 for the work carried out and use of the vans up to polling day."

Michael Stone resigned as voluntary chairman of the North East Inner City Programme Implementation Board and as a board member of the Land Development Agency. Picture: James Horan /RollingNews.ie

Mr Donohoe said that he had "aimed to be fully transparent on all details" when addressing the Dáil last week and that he believed that his statement was is was "an honest reflection of the information I had".

"It remains the case that when Sipo returns were being submitted in both in 2016 and 2020, they were believed to be accurate, as any postering done throughout the campaigns was not paid for by Fine Gael Dublin Central nor by me. All activity, it was understood, was carried out by volunteers on a voluntary basis.

"Let me be clear. Neither I nor my team were aware of any payments to any individuals for the erection or removal of posters in either election at the time of filing election returns to Sipo. The vast majority of my posters were erected and taken down on a voluntary basis. This was, we believed, to be the case with regard to the support given by Michael Stone. At each point in this, having undertaken reviews designed to determine the full facts, we have always taken the appropriate steps to correct the record.

"Mr Stone has said that his statement, and the information given to me, represents his best and fullest recollection of events. Therefore, further steps are now being taken to account for this new information that has come to light, as outlined."

Mr Donohoe said that he has "informed the Dáil of the facts as I have known them to be true at each and every juncture".

"I again apologise for the difficulties this has caused for my party and the distraction it has caused to the important work of Government. I have always sought to hold myself, and those around me, to the highest standards."

The minister closed by saying that he "deeply regrets" that this has caused the resignation of Mr Stone from the boards of both the Land Development Agency and the North East Inner City Taskforce.