€8.8m election funding from unknown sources

IRISH political parties must keep proper books and accounts and have them independently audited, an independent report on corruption and transparency of party funding has said.

State funding for the country’s parties was just short of €5 million in 2008, while private donations disclosed to the Standards in Public Office (SIPO) amounted to just €96,523.

It pointed out that of the €10.1m spent by parties and candidates in the 2007 general elections, only €1.3m was disclosed and there was no information on the source of the remaining €8.8m.