Guidelines for the general election to the 30th Dáil

H. Claiming a reimbursement of election expenses where eligible to do so

1.46  If qualified, candidates are entitled to apply for a reimbursement of their election expenses.  In order to qualify for a reimbursement, a candidate must either:

• be elected, or
  
• if not elected, have exceeded one quarter of the quota in the constituency at any stage of the counting of votes.

1.47  The maximum amount which may be reimbursed is the lesser of €8,700 or the actual amount of the election expenses incurred on the candidate.  In calculating the amount of election expenses incurred on the candidate's behalf, account may be taken of the expenses incurred on the candidate as accounted for by the candidate's election agent, and expenses incurred on the candidate in the constituency by the candidate's political party and accounted for by the national agent.

1.48  In order to certify a reimbursement of a qualified candidate's election expenses, the Standards Commission must have received the following documentation:

• completed application form for reimbursement of election expenses;
• completed election agent's Election Expenses Statement/Statutory Declaration;
• completed national agent's Election Expenses Statement/Statutory Declaration;
• supporting invoices, vouchers or receipts;
• in the case of an unsuccessful candidate, the candidate's completed Donation Statement/Statutory Declaration and accompanying documentation must also be received before the reimbursement application form can be issued.

1.49  When the Standards Commission has received the relevant statutory documentation and is satisfied as to its correct completion, it will issue a reimbursement application form to the candidate.

1.50  On receipt of the completed application form, the Standards Commission will certify to the Department of Finance the amount which should be reimbursed to the candidate.  The Standards Commission will not certify a reimbursement of election expenses to a candidate if statutory and supporting documentation has not been furnished.

1.51  The reimbursement is made directly to a candidate by the Department of Finance and is not regarded as a donation to the candidate.

1.52  A candidate is not required by the legislation to pass on any part of the reimbursement to his/her political party.  If a reimbursement is passed on by a candidate to the candidate's political party, it is not required to be disclosed by the party as a donation unless the amount passed on exceeds by more than €5,078.95 the total amount spent on the candidate by the party at the election.

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